What's the deal - last year, it was 9 months (or 39 weeks), in line with statutory maternity pay. This year, it's 6 months. Not that I'm pregnant, or even trying, but like to know my rights just in case...

Anyway, more to the point, why have we gone backwards here??!

I am pregnant, and an AHRC funded student, due to go on maternity leave in a few weeks but only told about this change yesterday! I'm currently feeling horrified that they can do this to me with so little notice, and that as you say we are going backwards - not a great way to encourage women into academia, or to keep them there.

If anyone else is in the same situation I'd love to hear from you...

i agree it is rather rubbish
...but do excuse me while I indulge in a moan about my situation....then put it into context.

My scholarship ended nearly a year ago, I have not brought a penny into the household since January, cannot get any maternity pay, or benefits from the government because I "voluntarily left paid employment" to further my career doing a PhD. Don't even qualify for anything from the university until baby arrives and I am a student mom.

But even still, I have a lovely husband who is in a job, and I look around and all the people in my local area losing jobs, and homes, and although I feel hard-done by I still count my lucky stars that I have my health and will be able to have a roof over my head and food on the table.

Life can be rubbish...but do try to find a glimmer of positivity in your situation. No matter how dark your situation may be, there will be some hope.
;-)

Both situations sound tough and, whilst I agree there are always positives, (and at the risk of sounding hippy-ish) I think there's alway space for a bit of solidarity. I'm getting a bit fed up with so-called austerity measures that simply hurt the already hardest hit whilst dragging us backwards (in terms of equal pay/rights etc) into the last century.

Anyway, (rant over) I just think it's a crying shame. I hope it all works out happily for the both of you. x