How long do you have to go back for to get full maternity pay?

[Pointlessfan]

I am on mat leave for a good few months yet. We'd like to have a second baby fairly soon and we're thinking about ttc around the time I go back to work but I am a bit worried about finances. Does anyone know what is the minimum amount of time you have to return to work for before you can go on mat leave again with maternity pay? I'm a teacher btw.

[13Stitches]

13 weeks pro rata. So if you worked full time before and come back at 0.5 it would be 26 weeks.

I think. (DS is 3 and academies have happened since then!)

[Pointlessfan]

That's helpful, thanks. I do work in an academy but so far they haven't changed our working terms or pay so hopefully it's still the same.

[Lunastarfish]

You should check your contract because if you have an enhanced maternity pay (rather than SMP) you may have to return to work before a further period of maternity pay.