One of my self-employed associate dentist customers who is planning to start a family this year told me yesterday she is preparing to leave the NHS pension and form a limited company.
She had assumed she would get the NHS maternity pay if she had a limited company.
This was incorrect. If you leave the NHS pension scheme and work via a limited company, you will lose your ‘workers’ entitlement to all future maternity and sick pay benefits.
My advice was to remain in the NHS pension and review your options once you have your baby and are ready to return to work.
The NHS maternity pay is superior to the statutory one linked to your NHS earnings. Remember, the statutory scheme is only partially linked to your six-week earnings and capped at £172 for the next 33 weeks.
Take a look at the maternity schemes FAQs Maternity leave payments · Customer Self-Service (nhsbsa.nhs.uk)