I've just come across http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/news/010410_1.htm this information on Research Council UK. As part of research council's harmonising their T&Cs if you receive your funding from the AHRC (and probably others) maternity leave T&Cs will change. This will mean that the current system of 9 months paid + 3 months unpaid will revert to 6 months paid and 6 months unpaid, potentially leaving students 3.5k worse off. This is being very poorly disseminated. For the AHRC this harmonisation happens from October 1st. AS LONG AS YOU ARE ON MATERNITY LEAVE BY OCTOBER 1st THE OLD TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY. Which means I'm OK but if you're planning on having a baby you won't be.
I'm really angry about this as it isn't being publicized and could really muck up a lot of people's financial planning.

Thought it might be useful for some of you to know!