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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Maternity Leave Pay

111 replies

Wussypants · 12/10/2018 22:41

Thinking of ttc next year, looking over finances and the terms and conditions of my employer's maternity pay - which is confusing!!

One of my friends says her company pays full pay for an entire year, which I'm a bit Shock and Envy at.

AIBU to ask what your maternity pay is like?

OP posts:
SleepyMcEdie · 13/10/2018 09:55

Public definitely not always better than private. My puclic job pays much less than most of the posts on here. Of course some private firms will be statutory only but lots of private firms have very good packages.

Happygummibear · 13/10/2018 10:37

I believe vodafone do a brilliant package.

Original poster
Wussypants · 13/10/2018 10:51

@Clevs thank you that's good to know, I've still got one week of annual leave to use before March next year, so I'll ask if I can carry it over to next year.

@Happygummibear I hadn't realised about child benefit tbh! That's very helpful and good to know, thank you :)

OP posts:
Happygummibear · 13/10/2018 11:23

Yes I think you need the birth certificate to start claiming but they back date to the day baby was born. Helpful bit of money!

Highpeak · 13/10/2018 11:29

3 months full pay, 3 months half pay, 13 weeks SMP then the rest of the year unpaid. I accrued holidays which I could have used for mat leave but have chosen to use to work 4 days without a pay cut for a while. I'm in a smallish private sector company

Polarbearflavour · 13/10/2018 11:32

University employer - 12 weeks full pay, 12 weeks half pay then SMP.

Highpeak · 13/10/2018 11:35

6 months full pay plus 13 weeks SMP is the best I know of at the local university. 1 year is amazing!

BarbaraofSevillle · 13/10/2018 11:42

Public sector will vary depending on organisation and when someone started.

We have people on three different sets of terms and conditions depending on date of joining the organisation and the best is 9 months full pay plus accrued AL, so people can take nearly 11 months off without losing any money and the worst is a combination of full pay, half pay and statutory over 6-9 months.

wildewillow · 13/10/2018 11:43

52 weeks entitlement

8 weeks full pay
18 weeks half pay + SMP
13 weeks SMP ( I think it's about £580 a month)
13 weeks unpaid

pinkpinkeverywhere · 13/10/2018 12:03

12 months full pay

Greymalkin12 · 13/10/2018 12:19

Statutory (small professional services firm)

Celebelly · 13/10/2018 12:19

I'm self-employed so just maternity allowance.

Catmeat · 13/10/2018 12:22

Smp and that worked out more than my salary Grin.

PeasAreGreat · 13/10/2018 12:24

6 weeks 90% of my salary
33 weeks statutory
Sad

SparkleBanana · 13/10/2018 12:28

I think it was 6 weeks full pay and now I’m on £580 a month which is pants. Plus child benefit is something like £80 a month for one I think.

CarpeDiem83 · 13/10/2018 12:30

We get an "allowance" of 3 months salary on top of SMP which you can choose to spread in various ways to top up the statutory amounts. So you could have just over four months on full pay (by topping up the six weeks of 90% SMP to full pay then taking the rest straight away) and then go down to the stat amount, but I chose to just take the 90% for the first six weeks then top up SMP to 50% of my salary which lasted until 9 months.

Fizzyhedgehog · 13/10/2018 12:36

I'm abroad, so mat pay is different to when I was home with DS in the UK.
I could either get £1500/month for 12 months or £700/month for 24 months. I'd also get about £150/month in child benefit.

Fatted · 13/10/2018 12:36

18 weeks full then SMP. But that only changed recently.

It was different when I had mine 3 years ago
90% for six weeks
50%+SMP (so about 75%) for 12 weeks
SMP up to 39 weeks
Remainder unpaid

It is shit. If I went off on the sick for six months I'd get full pay.

MrsRachel85 · 13/10/2018 12:37

Very envious of those getting 6 months full pay. Mine is 6 weeks at 90% of salary, 6 weeks 50% of salary then SMP

Her0utdoors · 13/10/2018 12:45

Self EMPLOYED. Maternity allowance 39, but the tax credits keep going and another child's worth of Child Benefit. Plus, if I'd realised, I could have got the 30hours funding for my dd nursery place whilst receiving MS. Doh!

ballroompink · 13/10/2018 13:25

Mine's statutory so pretty rubbish.

DH's company is 13 weeks on full pay for either parent followed by statutory I think.

tealandteal · 13/10/2018 13:35

Don't forget if you work for the NHS you have the option to average your pay so there isn't that big drop off after x weeks. You also accrue bank holidays whilst you are off so that can give you a few extra days. You will still receive unsocial enhancements I believe as well.

Crunchymum · 13/10/2018 13:38

4.5 months full pay, 4.5 months SMP, 3 months nowt.

Crunchymum · 13/10/2018 13:39

Also I accrue all my AL and BH's etc and can tack this on at the end.

treacledan71 · 13/10/2018 14:05

Remember to see if you will be elgible for tax credits if money drops. Also we had a 2 month mortgage break which helped.