You are right - maternity leave and pay are changed in April 2007. You now have the right to take up to 52 weeks maternity leave, regardless of how long you have worked for your employer. The important thing to remember is that your rights depend on when your baby is due, not when it is born, so if your baby arrives early the rights still apply.

The first 26 weeks of maternity leave are called Ordinary Maternity Leave (OML) and you will still get all the same rights under your contract of employment as if you were still at work, for example, you will get any pay increases and you will still build up your holiday entitlement. The only exception is that you will not get your normal pay unless your contract allows for this.

After OML, your leave becomes Additional Maternity Leave; you can take up to a further 26 weeks off but there must be no gap between the two. You may need advice from a CAB about which employment rights still apply. Most women whose babies are arrived after 1 April 2007 are entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance, which is paid for up to 39 weeks.

You are also allowed to work and be paid for up to 10 days during your maternity leave without it affecting your maternity pay. For more information visit www.adviceguide.org.uk or consult Sudbury CAB

This article is intended as a guide only. Please do not rely on this guide for advice in your personal situation. If you have any specific concerns or questions about how the rules could help you, then the Sudbury and District Citizens Advice Bureau may be able to help.

The Citizens Advice service is a network of independent charities that helps people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing advice and information and influencing policymakers.