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Maternity pay & Entitlement

Hi All, I'm due in January and just had a look through my companies procedure which seems better than most at contractual pay for 26 weeks and SMP for 13 weeks. I fully expect to pay for my child but wow, on SMP of ??128 (or similar) a week how am I supposed to manage? I genuinely feel sorry for single parents. Due to our combined income we don't qualify for working tax credits and a lot of other things but it just seems really unfair you pay in to the system all your life and are shafted when you need the help! Sorry, rant over!

Replies

  • Hi,

    I totally agree....I will get 90% of my pay for 6 weeks, then half pay plus SMP for 12 weeks and then just SMP for rest of my maternity leave.  We have managed to save up some money during our ttc journey and then throughout the pregnancy in order to make up my SMP a little.  It is still a worry though and I honestly have no idea how they expect people to go from 2 full time wages to 1 full time wage and SMP and still have all the same bills to pay plus a baby to care for.

    I haven't looked in to if we can get any help but I doubt it very much with us both being full time.

    My baby is due in September so not long to go now image I am trying not to let the money side of things bother me and just deal with them when the time comes.  Everyone I have spoke to just say 'you somehow manage' so guess we will see x

  • I hope so. I'm a terrible saver and as I'm due in January that's a hard enough part of the year as it is. I'm sure we'll manage something I just don't want to ask anyone for help when this is our decision.



    I'm a bit luckier than you in the fact I get my pay for 26 weeks but I was hoping to take off the full yeah but just can't justify it really. Even thought about cutting my hours when I went back bit I'll probably be that skint that will be another fairy dust dream image



    I'll just need to scour my rights I think lol xx
  • It's so hard isn't it, I'm on zero hours so as soon as they notice my bump I just won't get any more work........fun!!!!!!!

  • Aw no mrsboysmum I feel bad for whinging now! Lol



    My mums offered to look after pickle when it's born and see the more I think about it the worse I feel. Just because she'll see more if it growing up where as when I was young she worked part time at night so missed nothing ????



    I'm such a whing pants today! Lol xx
  • Thats a good package. Im in my unpaid maternity now. Weve found both times that weve managed better than expected. And that between my first and second maternity we saved loads as were used to living on less and I dropped some hours. Dunno what we did with2 full time salaries and no kids x
  • Oh a hope I end up the same. I am already managing my money better because I'm too tired to socialise. I've also went off most food so my shopping bill and eating out has reduced ssooo much.



    I suppose u can't spend what u dont have xx
  • You do manage on less, I have 3 children and am having My fourth and I am the breadwinner with dad being the stay at home carer for our youngest daughter. We don't get any benefits at all and I am lucky I have a good job, my maternity pay has just been  improved in the last year, 2 years ago it was just 6 weeks at 90% pay then SMP so I had to go back when my little girl was 3 months old. This time it's 9 months paid so I am taking it all!

    save as much as you can now and set to a budget and it will really help to have some savings when baby is born.

    its a struggle for any parent but having your beautiful baby makes it so worthwhile!

     

     

  • Aw that's nice Jo thanks! X



    I'm sure we will. I'm my own worst enemy at times with how much I worry. Were trying to pay off outstanding things just now (we moved into a flat a year ago and had to get a few expensive things) so we dont have that to worry about.



    Me and the OH have separate incomes and a joint account for bills ect but I think it won't come to that then because not fair I have no cash and he does! Lol xx
  • It's so hard and it is really unfair when you think about the vast differences in people's maternity packages. SMP is tiny and doesn't even last for the whole time I could take if I decided to have a whole year of mat leave. I lost all my baby weight when my son started weaning partly due to him getting all the fruit and veg and me and my husband living on hardly anything for six weeks. I wouldn't have gone back sooner though, DS was six and a half months when I went back to work and that felt too young as it was!

    It's not all bad, you learn to budget and cut down your bills where you can. Saving a bit will help, I'm on a better wage now so I'm hoping to put a lot more aside to prepare us for when the money stops.
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