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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that SMP is equal to the amount of benefit you get if you don't go back to work?

42 replies

dandelionand · 30/06/2016 22:48

have i got this right?
i get about £600 SMP every month and have just worked out that that's equivalent t what income support, child tax credit and council tax reduction i'd get (and that's without adding on the child benefit on!)
Not eligible for universal credit as i have a mortgage (income support for housing costs and borrowing money from old school friend for the rest).
I guess it makes sense that SMP=benefits but i just thought i'd ask for the wisdom of mumsnet on this....

OP posts:
Believeitornot · 30/06/2016 22:49

SMP - isn't that based on your salary? Or am I getting confused.

RubbleBubble00 · 30/06/2016 22:54

You get smp on maternity leave from your job.

RubbleBubble00 · 30/06/2016 22:55

And you would get tax credits on top depending on income

Euripidesralph · 30/06/2016 22:56

It depends though doesn't it ? Smp is obviously a standard amount , pps it isn't means tested it's a set payment , but when mine ran out I was entitled to no where near that as dh is employed so it depends on your monthly income to account for the other benefits

Thank all the Googles I start a job on monday

Leggytadpole · 30/06/2016 23:10

You can work it out online, I think the DWP website and 'entitledto' have got calculators. It's based on personal circumstances so won't be the same for everyone. Bear in mind that they use different calculations when you've been on mat leave, the amount you get might drop considerably after a year. It's probably worth calling the tax credits helpline for advice.

Original poster
dandelionand · 30/06/2016 23:14

sorry, bit sleep-deprived so not making sense, i should have siad, i'm a single parent

SMP is a set amount for everyone (probably pro rata), basically when you're on mat leave, the state pays the SMP (via your company, so it looks like wages basically) and your work pays whatever Occupational Maternity Pay it wants, which in some cases is nothing i think

OP posts:
Original poster
dandelionand · 01/07/2016 00:27

askdfuh ieu haiehff
sorry, trying not to swear there. Just looked at figures again and it seems SMP +WTC is 214 a wk, which is replaced by income support and council tax benefit equalling 90 a wk
so basically, if you're a single parent, you have to go back to work cos it's unaffordable not to.........having said that, i haven't done the figures for costs of childcare etc, so god knows.
So far, i have spent the vast majority of my mat leave dealing with fairly major health issues, or dealing with the stress and technicalities of work/mortgage/benefits. God forbid i'm allowed to prioritise my daughter above juggling what are relativey small bits of money. Bankers and the like have so much to answer for, selfish rich people

OP posts:
AndNowItsSeven · 01/07/2016 00:33

You can claim child tax credits - that is preferably to universal credit you not being eligeable is a good thing. You can also claim child benefit and council tax reduction.
You can't claim wtc and smp though.

FirstTimerAtBeingAMummy · 01/07/2016 00:38

If your a single mum then you are also entitled to child tax credits. And if your income for this year while on maternity leave is £2500 plus less than last year while working full time, then you are entitled to working tax credit too. Then when you go back to work this will turn in to something that helps with childcare costs. But I forgot the name.

LowAMH · 01/07/2016 00:55

What are you on about, bankers and selfish rich people? Biscuit

manicinsomniac · 01/07/2016 00:56

I don't really get what you're surprised/upset about. If you're a single mum of course you have to go back to work asap, how else will you manage? I'm not saying there's anything wrong with being a single mum, I'm a single mum of 3 myself and have never had a long term partner. It's a perfectly valid life choice or life circumstance but it does come with no choice but full time work.

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 01/07/2016 01:27

if you're a single parent, you have to go back to work cos it's unaffordable not to

Many people single or not have to.

Not sure what bankers have to do with it.

MeAndMy3LovelyBoys · 01/07/2016 01:28

You can claim WTC whilst claiming SMP, but only for a total of 37 weeks and then you have to let tax credits know whether you are having additional maternity leave (some people have a year), in which case your WTCs would stop until you return to work.

AvaCrowder · 01/07/2016 01:35

Well I was a banker and I got 90% of my salary for six months, then enough to live off for another six months. Banking is really easy to get into. No degree or private school necessary. You'd be an idiot not to, but please do blame us.

Fratelli · 01/07/2016 05:48

It's not only single parents who have to go back to work. I did because we couldn't afford for me to be off any longer. I know many people who have gone back when their babies are 6 months and they have partners. Some of them with very good jobs but also big outgoings. Some women who are the main earner so had to go back quickly. I would have loved a year or so off, many people would. But it just isn't possible for the majority of us.

flowery · 01/07/2016 05:56

I don't understand. Why does it matter whether SMP is the same amount as other benefits? It is what it is. How is the amount other people might get from certain benefits relevant?

And of course most people, single or not, have to go back to work after maternity leave. It's not the case that every parent who is in a relationship has a partner who earns enough that they only need one salary.

And what have bankers done that is relevant to SMP?

I must be missing something I think. ConfusedConfused

DesignedForLife · 01/07/2016 06:00

So the state should fund you raising children and it's the bankers fault that it doesn't?i don't follow your logic here.

Many of us have to return to work after having kids, we can't expect the state to fund that, though the additional support for those on low income is no doubt very useful. Upon returning to work between DH and myself earn around £30k, but get no extra support other than child benefit. We wouldn't have coped if I hadn't returned to work - we would have been eligible for nothing.

As a single working parent you'd be eligible for tax credits and for contributions towards childcare. It's tough whichever way, but kids are expensive!

StealthPolarBear · 01/07/2016 06:05

Isn't smp 90% of your salary for the first six weeks? So it's only the same as benefits if your salary is roughly the same

Oysterbabe · 01/07/2016 06:30

I'm married but will be returning to work when sproglet is 10 months. I'd love to be a SAHM but just not an option financially sadly.

Ememem84 · 01/07/2016 06:55

Where I am (Channel Islands) mat pay is £94 a week. For 18 weeks I think.

My employer will pay me full salary for the first 12 weeks. Half pay the next 12. And anything after that nothing. (Until I go back to work that it).

I'm in finance. Not a banker but why is it always bankers and people like me who work in finance who get blamed. You do know we don't all get million pound bonuses and cushy contracts? The majority of us just scrape through.

strawberrypenguin · 01/07/2016 07:04

No idea about benefits vs SMP (although I'm pretty sure SMP is calculated on your salary) but you do realise most of us have to go back to work don't you? I'm married and on mat leave with DS2. I had to return to work after DS1 and will be doing so again, bills don't magically pay themselves and we wouldn't be entitled to any financial help (apart from child benefit)

LIZS · 01/07/2016 07:09

Smp for first 6 weeks is 90% of average salary or around £135 whichever is higher, then the flat rate up to 39th week. Some companies top it up but usually only for certain levels of staff and on condition that you return. For many people living off SMP is not a sustainable level of income longterm , so the comparison between this and benefits is irrelevant. If you can afford the mortgage are you actually entities to full benefits anyway Hmm did you save when pg?

londonrach · 01/07/2016 07:11

Am i right here, correct me if wrong. The top up on smp has to be returned to your employer if you dont return to work. The basic amount is only for a certain time. Surely most people have to go back to work even bankers... (Not a banker). Dont understand your bankers comment.

dylsmimi · 01/07/2016 07:16

Smp is usually less than your salary so when you return to work your income goes up. If it is the same as benefits then it won't increase at anytime.
If you need help with childcare and are on a lower income you can get this from 2 years old rather than the 3yrs that is standard
The majority of people (myself included) have to return back to work after maternity leave. And interesting the ones I know who haven't aren't bankers either!

PoppyFleur · 01/07/2016 07:27

From the .gov website:

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is paid for up to 39 weeks. You get:

90% of your average weekly earnings (before tax) for the first 6 weeks
£139.58 or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower) for the next 33 weeks.

OP - it's hard to think about returning to work when you are on maternity leave and especially if you have been unwell. However not sure the bankers deserve your wrath in this instance.

I returned to work full time after 8 months ML, first couple of weeks are really tough & then you are back into the swing of things.

Do you enjoy your job? Have you got good childcare in place?