Maternity leave

During paid maternity leave

You'll continue to build up your pension during paid maternity leave.  

Employer contributions from the council will be based on your earnings before you went on leave. Your contributions will be based on your earnings during your leave, which may be lower than your usual payments. 

During unpaid maternity leave 

All pension contributions stop from you and the council during any period of unpaid maternity leave.   

Paying towards lost pension contributions 

If you’re a member of the local government pension scheme (LGPS), you can choose to pay towards lost pension contributions for any unpaid part of your maternity leave.   

Under this scheme, you’ll pay for one-third of your lost pension contributions and the council will pay the remaining two-thirds, but only if you apply within 30 days of returning to work.

To do this, you must complete Part C of the ML1 form (DOCX, 69KB) and return it to Payroll, along with your KIT form, if applicable. If you have more than one job at ECC, you’ll need to submit a separate ML1 form for each role.

Once Payroll receives your completed form, they will calculate your lost pay figure and send you a letter confirming the details and advising you of the next steps.

You can find out more about how to pay your lost pension contributions in the returning to work information.