The existing regulations have been updated under the Work and Families Act 2006, and mean mothers will receive 90% of their salary for six weeks and then up to £112.75 a week for another 33 weeks. This is known as Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP).

Mothers giving notice during their maternity leave will now have to give two months instead of the previous 28 days.

SMP is paid by the employer, who is then reimbursed by the Treasury.

The law also means that women have an automatic right to return to work, even to small businesses which previously had exemptions from this part of the law, the BBC reported.

View a full guide to maternity legislation at the Department of Trade and Industry's (DTI) website.