Premature Birth/Hospitalised Baby Pay and Leave FAQ's
Page updated: 16/07/2024
If your baby is born prematurely, it is important that you or a representative advises your manager of the situation. This means that they can deal with any administrative processes on your behalf. You only then need to focus on your baby’s well-being. Your manager will ensure that appropriate Maternity Leave or Maternity Support Leave and if applicable the Premature Baby Leave and Pay can be implemented.
A premature birth is considered to be a baby born before 37 weeks gestation.
Full-term babies are those born 37 weeks +, so if your baby is born at 38 weeks this is considered a full term birth.
If your baby is born prematurely and you have not yet started your maternity leave, your maternity leave will start on the day after the birth.
Your partner is still entitled to paternity leave and pay if they would have been employed for 26 weeks by the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth and their average weekly earnings are at least £123 per week (April 2023 – March 2024) in the eight weeks up to the week before the week your baby was born.
Fathers and partners (including same sex partners) can start their paternity leave on the day the child is born or take paternity leave up to 56 days from the birth. If your baby is premature, paternity leave can be taken up to 56 days from the due date. Paternity leave can be one or two weeks and must be completed within the 56 day period.
If your partner has already given notice of when s/he wants to start paternity leave and your baby is born early, your partner must contact us as soon as reasonably possible and tell us that your baby has been born. Your partner can vary the date s/ he wants to start paternity leave by giving notice as soon as reasonably possible. If your partner has not yet given notice and your baby is born early, s/he must contact us as soon as possible and give notice of when they want to take paternity leave.
We would accept both, an email is sufficient with scanned copies of the supporting evidence required. Postal address: Absence Team, Building 4, St Davids Park, Carmarthen, SA31 3HB.
You will receive your maternity payments, in addition, you would receive 3 weeks hospitalised baby pay and 3 weeks additional hospitalised baby leave added on to the end of the maternity leave (unpaid).
Maximum pay and leave is 4 weeks.
You will receive 4 weeks premature baby pay, paternity pay and leave for up to 2 weeks (optional) and then 4 weeks premature baby leave following paternity leave (unpaid).
From birth to end of hospitalisation (maximum to full term date - 40 weeks).
Yes you can both apply for the pay and leave.
No, unfortunately not, the hospitalised baby pay and leave is only available if the baby is hospitalised immediately following birth.
You will be entitled to 1 weeks’ pay and leave for every week your baby spends in hospital, the calculation will be based on your contracted hours at the date the baby is hospitalised - up to 37 hours per week.
Example:
Monthly salary/number of days in month x no of days required to be paid, for all queries please contact the Absence Team.
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