To think statutory maternity pay should be the same amount as the state pension?

I don’t think it’s about who has it harder. The problem is that young people are very squeezed financially in their 20s and 30s and if we want future tax payers to look after all our pensioners the we need babies.

Except that would be illegal to discriminate like that.

I think all parents (men and women) should be offered decent parental leave (as happens in some northern European countries) that would allow them to continue paying the bills during one of the biggest upheavals in their lives, and keep from potential discrimination against women in it workplace

Why are we elder bashing here? Retirement is permanent, SMP is temporary - no comparison!

Here we go again. Today's 30-somethings have the worst deal ever, ever and today's pensioners are living the life of luxury after a working life of joy and ease.
The working generation is paying tax to fund today's pensioners, just as they did when they were working. It has always been the same but for some reason it has suddenly become a huge issue and today's workers seen to be under the impression that they have been particularly shafted by doing the same as others have always done.
OP, if it makes you feel any better, you will be paying for my luxurious retirement in 10 years time but I had much worse maternity entitlements, no subsidised childcare and no flexible working and limited workplace pension, so much as younger workers don't want to hear it, they don't have a monopoly on hardship.
And no, we couldn't afford one parent at home as we could not easily afford the 15% mortgage rate on one salary.

We don't have the money to keep spending - maybe we should reduce the pension to the maternity pay level?

Well, kind of but don’t we compare everything? Isn’t relativity important? (Answer is yes!).

Isn’t that the point OP is making? That people can’t afford to have kids now?

Lots of retired people have long ago paid off their mortgages and so their pension doesn’t need to cover their housing. Young mums are often at the height of their housing debt.

Or the two (SMP & SPs) are not comparable as they are totally different situations perhaps???

I know people who haven’t claimed their pension as they don’t need to. Sorry you don’t.

I don’t have children, probably never will. But I do think SMP is shockingly low, and if the government is really worried about the birth rate they should look at this.

Many women on maternity only get SMP and no enhanced package from their employer. It’s current set at a maximum of £187.18 a week for 39 weeks. If mothers want to be off for 52, it will be unpaid.

The new state pension is £230.25 a week. While those on maternity may have a partner to support them, they probably won’t have any other income while many pensioners also have a private pension alongside the SP.

AIBU to think that if £230.25 is needed by all pensioners over 66 for a basic standard of living (who probably have less outgoings than a young family), SMP should be the same?

If we can afford to pay the state pension to every pensioner for the rest of their lives out of NI, we can afford to support new working mothers birthing and raising the next generation of workers for a short amount of time. The financial hit is a big deterrent for people having children. I also think SMP should be paid from birth until the child’s first birthday.

Isn’t that the point OP is making? That people can’t afford to have kids now?

Lots of retired people have long ago paid off their mortgages and so their pension doesn’t need to cover their housing. Young mums are often at the height of their housing debt.

Small point but you are not taxed on the money that goes in to your pension pot. It is taken from gross income. You are only taxed when you take it out ( if over tax threshold)

One of many reasons the birth rate is dropping so much.
‘If you can’t afford a baby, don’t have one’……..um ok. Hello ageing population.
And those saying that people can save for a baby. Well pensioners have had their whole lives to save for retirement.

For most couples, one partner will be earning a full time salary which will be considerably higher than the state pension. I can kind of see an argument for it being low but comparing it to pensions, is crazy. Also, if people can't afford to live on a salary plus SMP, they probably can't afford to have a baby.

So you think strangers looking after a baby is better than a parent?

Am I correct that in case SMP is the only source of income then there will be a lot of other top ups and parents would get child benefit too? so their total income would be more than £180.

Also if employers are forced to pay more then it's going to way much more difficult for women of childbearing age to find jobs.

I generally agree that this country has prioritized pensioners over the young and this is reflected in the amount we spend on older people rather than encouraging people to have children and providing well for children. It’s an unfortunate byproduct of the fact that pensioners vote. It would be much bettter for the country if they reduced pension spending and increased spending on encouraging births and education.

Ok, sure, let’s introduce belief based definitions for the benefits system in case people want to self identify out of claiming them.

Thank you for telling me I’m unimportant. Hopefully it made you feel better than you obviously do.

The Tories deemed it as a benefit because they see people as being as unimportant as you do.

I think seeing people as unimportant is psychotic, and probably a result of a chaotic upbringing.

I never said pensions should be reduced. I said if the SP amount is seen as the amount needed to live on, it should be the same for women who take maternity leave for a few months. I know many women who had a really hard time with the reduced pay, and went back after a few months because of it.