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Original poster

How does anyone survive on SMP?

72 replies

AutumnCandle · 12/11/2023 22:42

Genuine question. My OMP package looks decent up until about 6/7 months, then it’s 9 weeks of SMP alone. I realised lately it’s taxed as well! How do people cope on that? Right now it seems crazy to me. Do you just cut your cloth or is it really miserable?

OP posts:
BitofaStramash · 12/11/2023 22:45

That's a generous package. Many get a lot less and many only get SMP all the way through.

You save, you cut your cloth, you go back to work. If your partner has a better package you share your leave.

Houseplanter · 12/11/2023 22:46

You go back to work.

Original poster
AutumnCandle · 12/11/2023 22:46

BitofaStramash · 12/11/2023 22:45

That's a generous package. Many get a lot less and many only get SMP all the way through.

You save, you cut your cloth, you go back to work. If your partner has a better package you share your leave.

Can you take the good part of your own maternity package and then your partner take paid paternity leave? I never realised you could do both

OP posts:
NameChange30 · 12/11/2023 22:47

Yeah I got SMP the whole way through, you're lucky to get enhanced pay for the first 6-7 months.

You might find that you are eligible for UC while on SMP, some people are.

Most people have to plan and save for maternity leave, and/or not take the full year.

Sommerled · 12/11/2023 22:52

My work averaged out my enhanced mat pay and SMP so I received the same pay throughout the time I was off. Made it easier to budget. Remember you accrue annual leave during mat leave so can tack that on to the end.

DH and I also rejigged our budget so he put in more to cover joint expenses.

But yeah you cut your cloth or dip into savings. Paying childcare when you go back to work is equally eye watering.

KThnxBye · 12/11/2023 23:04

I have never been paid any maternity pay or SMP. I was fully employed and did everything I should, but ended up unemployed with a pay of zero. I had to take on temporary work starting when my baby was two weeks old to get enough money to eat. Being a woman is so fun!

Prebtaf · 12/11/2023 23:07

I had a similar package and went back to work part time after six months. No way I can live on SMP and savings were used to stop reduce mortgage and avoid massive hike in monthly payments

Toefingers · 12/11/2023 23:10

I spent my whole pregnancy saving every spare penny to cover the shortfall. I’d guess that’s what most do when they find out about their pregnancy.

Beamur · 12/11/2023 23:11

I didn't take a year off. Couldn't afford it.

londonmummy1966 · 12/11/2023 23:12

I was self employed a the time I had DC (despite paying years and years of class 1 NICs ) so it was maternity allowance only - I went back full time after 3 months and had already been in and out quite a lot before that. Be grateful for what you have....

Merrow · 12/11/2023 23:13

AutumnCandle · 12/11/2023 22:46

Can you take the good part of your own maternity package and then your partner take paid paternity leave? I never realised you could do both

Show quote history

Look into shared parental leave - depends on the wording of policies but DP and I managed 9 months of full pay with DS1 by sharing leave. It's woefully misunderstood by most workplaces so really worth reading the civil service guidance in full.

Gobimanchurian · 12/11/2023 23:13

I got 6 weeks full pay then SMP. Saved like mad pre and during pregnancy. OH pay covered most things. To be fair, very little social life / discretionary spending at that time. Just hunker down and get through ☹️

AfraidToRun · 12/11/2023 23:14

We used shared parental leave and both employers had policies that paid more than the statutory.

arethereanyleftatall · 12/11/2023 23:16

Can I just check that you and the babies father are aware that once a baby comes along, any money earned is joint family money to be shared equally by both parties?

Just checking because so often on mn you get financial abuse where neither party seems to have realised that if one party is looking after their joint baby, then the other needs to contribute more financially.

Tisfortired · 12/11/2023 23:17

I’ve just finished maternity leave and was on SMP alone since January. We’d saved a bit whilst I was pregnant and DP has been doing some overtime.

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 12/11/2023 23:19

I was a contractor when I got pregnant so was entitled to zero maternity leave. And when I stopped work to go and have my baby I lost my job too. It was awful.

I did get maternity allowance but spent my pregnancy scrimping and saving and my 'maternity leave' desperately looking for a job.

I remember crying in the supermarket because I didn't know how I was going to afford the food in my trolley.

So your set up sounds good! Enjoy your mat leave. You don't actually spend as much as you think you will...

Heyhoherewegoagain · 12/11/2023 23:20

The cutting your coat thing -yeah that

we saved pre and during the 9 months I was pregnant, and planned to try once a car loan etc was paid off so we could also save that

Boymum2104 · 12/11/2023 23:22

I'm on SMP for 9 months & then nothing 🫣🫠 how I survive = my husband, his wage isn't brilliant but we're getting by.

Vinrouge4 · 12/11/2023 23:23

6/7 months is pretty generous.

YireosDodeAver · 12/11/2023 23:23

You add up the total you are going to get from the payday after you realise you are pregnant to the payday after you go back, and work out the average. All the months up until thosr last 2 are paid at above the average so you put the difference into savings, and withdraw from those savings in the last 2 difficult months.

And you thank your lucky stars it's only 9 weeks. For many women it's 6 weeks at 90% then 33 weeks on SMP

justanothermummma · 12/11/2023 23:26

I got the basic SMP with both my DDs. I was able to save before DD1, but with DD2 I could not save as I had nursery fees for DD1 with being back at work. I haven't been able to save since (one day!).

SMP is not fit for purpose. You can't pay bills, you can't survive properly and maternity leave can be lonely so baby groups/classes are so helpful but they come with expense. It's no wonder new mothers feel isolated and struggle or go back to worn early and bury themselves in nursery fees.

Mama9076 · 12/11/2023 23:27

I got statutory, so not much at all. I started saving as soon as I found out I was pregnant, I found once i has my baby, I went out a lot less (dinners, drinks, taxis etc) so my outgoings went down. Additionally nursery was £1,800 a month when my son first started, so it takes awhile to return to a ‘full’ pay packet. (Unless you have help with childcare)

Cinai · 12/11/2023 23:30

It could be worse…I’m self-employed, 6 months decent maternity pay and SMP thereafter sounds like a dream from where I am.

RandomMess · 12/11/2023 23:30

I was back out looking for work 6 weeks post partum, started a new job when DC1 was 9 weeks old.

Honestly the 9 months SMP was luxury with the subsequent DC!

Boymum2104 · 12/11/2023 23:33

justanothermummma · 12/11/2023 23:26

I got the basic SMP with both my DDs. I was able to save before DD1, but with DD2 I could not save as I had nursery fees for DD1 with being back at work. I haven't been able to save since (one day!).

SMP is not fit for purpose. You can't pay bills, you can't survive properly and maternity leave can be lonely so baby groups/classes are so helpful but they come with expense. It's no wonder new mothers feel isolated and struggle or go back to worn early and bury themselves in nursery fees.

The pressure to do the baby classes when you really can't afford it is very upsetting!

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