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Original poster

Mat pay - is this "good"??

305 replies

newmummy21 · 14/07/2021 13:02

Just wanting to gauge what's typical, I guess, as this is the first time I've been on mat leave so I have no idea what's normal.

I usually earn 2,600 net in my job. Currently on mat leave and have lost £800 a month so taking home only 1,800 whilst on mat leave. This is a significant loss to our household income and my partner is having to do a lot of overtime to make up the shortfall. We also had to save like mad during my pregnancy to cover this, so we didn't struggle.

I mentioned this to a friend recently and she said "my god that's amazing mat pay, you have no idea how lucky you are, I had next to nothing... " etc,

So... is losing £800 a month really "amazing" for mat pay?? Confused

OP posts:
Itsprobablynotcominghome · 14/07/2021 16:15

@newmummy21

Honestly you can't ask a simple question on here without people showing up to have a dig. It's good job I'm finding it amusing rather than anything else Grin
But ultimately it is quite offensive to be so out of touch.

There is a lesson to be learnt here OP, and if you can’t see it, then I’m not quite sure what to think.

I personally don’t find SMP funny. I find it disgusting. It holds women back, and allows men to dominate the workplace.

GnomeDePlume · 14/07/2021 16:16

When I had DC1 it was just 90% for 6 weeks then SMP for (I think) 6 months. This was in the olden days so SMP was around £50. Went back to work after 6 weeks.

When I had DCs 2 & 3 it was full pay for 12 months. For some insane reason I went back to work full time after 3 months and 4 weeks respectively.

Original poster
newmummy21 · 14/07/2021 16:16

@Itsprobablynotcominghome

It's not SMP that I find amusing- clearly, because further back I said "mums deserve better than this".

It's the snarky comments about whether I need a reality check on the cost of a loaf of bread that I found amusing. Because they are ridiculous comments.

OP posts:
Original poster
newmummy21 · 14/07/2021 16:18

*But ultimately it is quite offensive to be so out of touch.
*

I entirely disagree that it is offensive for me not to know what others get paid on mat leave. I am not them - I don't do their professions. How would I know? There are many things in life I'd view as offensive but this isn't one; I just can't see it I'm afraid. I asked a simple question.

OP posts:
Chocolatebuttercream · 14/07/2021 16:18

@Itsprobablynotcominghome I think you're absolutely right, that SMP is not enough, and it's shockingly regressive and keeps women down. But it's not the OP's fault. We can be angry with the government/our employers without also being angry with those who, happily, work for more progressive/generous employers. I'm not having a go at you - as I said myself upthread it is natural to feel jealousy when you see others receiving better deals. But if you reflect a bit I think you would agree that your frustration is misdirected here.

NavigatingAdolescence · 14/07/2021 16:21

Just for the record, I had a more generous mat package than you, OP, a traumatic birth that led to PTSD, a permanent injury and had a husband who worked hundreds of miles away 5.5 days a week, the nearest family being 5500 miles away. The only thing I’m ever remotely envious of is those whose partners can take over for mum to have a shower in peace, blow dry her hair or eat more than a sandwich. That would have been the biggest luxury for me.

Metabigot · 14/07/2021 16:24

Anything above statutory is 'good'.

I work in HR mainly commercial sector and the vast majority of employers I've worked with pay statutory only.

Original poster
newmummy21 · 14/07/2021 16:24

The only thing I’m ever remotely envious of is those whose partners can take over for mum to have a shower in peace, blow dry her hair or eat more than a sandwich. That would have been the biggest luxury for me.

Same. I'd give up the money for that. And my mental health back.

OP posts:
Babyroobs · 14/07/2021 16:27

We lived abroad when my eldest two babies were born. I got nothing from when I left to when I went back to work ( when they were 4 and 5 months old ), then we got the equivalent of six weeks pay in a lump sum !

user27424799642256 · 14/07/2021 16:38

People sound frustrated not jealous. It's a bit juvenile to play the "oh they're just jealous" card whenever somebody disagrees with you or challenges you.

I think it is offensive to start a goady thread moaning about your high income and then claiming to have absolutely no awareness that the majority of women have to struggle to get by on a tiny amount.

Nobody expects you to be aware of all the variations in maternity packages (and I haven't seen anybody suggest you should), but to be unaware of the reality of women only receiving SMP/SA? Come on. Are you also unaware that most people don't get paid more than SSP when off sick even if for something planned like surgery?

Yeh, you could show a bit of humility instead of being rude to people and then trying to use your mental health struggles as some sort of license to be nasty and disrespectful. How do you know the people you've been rude and snarky to aren't struggling themselves?

2kool4skool · 14/07/2021 16:43

Yes £1800 a month for not working is “good”

Can’t believe this was even asked!

I got SMP and thought that was generous given I wasn’t working for it.

poppythetroll · 14/07/2021 16:47

@newmummy21
With all due respect I think you have got a lot of peoples backs up with your original "I had no idea" question - you're on Mat leave now so must have known for months what your pay would be so what difference does it make to compare it to anyone else? To not know anything about SMP is out of touch. It's easy to find this out, google it, come on forums like here, read the newspapers. Articles and blogs etc about pay inequality, benefits etc are everywhere these days. Your question is at best braggy and at worse goady. Some people would give anything to be on £1600 a month, but something tells me you already knew that.

tracker222 · 14/07/2021 16:53

That's amazing! I went from £2800 a month to £550 a month. As a lone parent it was a massive struggle!

Unsoliciteddeckpic · 14/07/2021 16:59

People sound frustrated not jealous. It's a bit juvenile to play the "oh they're just jealous" card whenever somebody disagrees with you or challenges you.

I have to agree. My kids are older and I chose to not have anymore.

What women do or don't get stirs no jealousy in me. Because I don't have the slightest inclination to have another Mat leave. So it has no impact on me.

I hate the 'they must be jealous' line that rolled out.

marshmallowmilk · 14/07/2021 17:03

i get a grand total of £0 a month because i lost my job due to covid shutting it down the month i found out i was pregnant. think yourself lucky ffs

Original poster
newmummy21 · 14/07/2021 17:06

It's a bit juvenile to play the "oh they're just jealous" card whenever somebody disagrees with you or challenges you.

I didn't state this? Another poster did?

OP posts:
Original poster
newmummy21 · 14/07/2021 17:07

Yeh, you could show a bit of humility instead of being rude to people and then trying to use your mental health struggles as some sort of license to be nasty and disrespectful.

Who have I been rude to?

Ffs. This place is vile.

OP posts:
Original poster
newmummy21 · 14/07/2021 17:08

Yes £1800 a month for not working is “good”

I thought it was pretty clear that i meant relative to other maternity packages

OP posts:
Original poster
newmummy21 · 14/07/2021 17:08

@tracker222

That's amazing! I went from £2800 a month to £550 a month. As a lone parent it was a massive struggle!

😥 it's just insane the variation!

OP posts:
Original poster
newmummy21 · 14/07/2021 17:09

@marshmallowmilk

i get a grand total of £0 a month because i lost my job due to covid shutting it down the month i found out i was pregnant. think yourself lucky ffs

Ok I will, thanks. Ffs.

OP posts:
Original poster
newmummy21 · 14/07/2021 17:10

[quote Chocolatebuttercream]@Itsprobablynotcominghome I think you're absolutely right, that SMP is not enough, and it's shockingly regressive and keeps women down. But it's not the OP's fault. We can be angry with the government/our employers without also being angry with those who, happily, work for more progressive/generous employers. I'm not having a go at you - as I said myself upthread it is natural to feel jealousy when you see others receiving better deals. But if you reflect a bit I think you would agree that your frustration is misdirected here.[/quote]

Agreed. A LOT of misdirected frustration on here I think.

OP posts:
Nicknacky · 14/07/2021 17:11

@newmummy21 You don’t think you were rude to the poster you swore at? Really?

BlueSurfer · 14/07/2021 17:12

I don’t think it’s really how much you get each month as how long it lasts and what other benefits you get. I got full pay for three months and then half pay for six months. However, I also got my car, phone, private health insurance etc. Then there is also any other return to work benefits that can help such as agreed flexible working, support with childcare costs if you don’t qualify for the government scheme etc.

A large number of the population just get the minimum of SMP, even though many earn above average salary.

Original poster
newmummy21 · 14/07/2021 17:12

@Mpsister

It's more than some people's full salary and you're not working. What do you expect?

What did I expect? A calm, balanced and rational discussion with other mums about mat pay in general, across the board, because I wasn't aware of how generally shit it was having never been on it before. Seems I expected too much!

OP posts:
Original poster
newmummy21 · 14/07/2021 17:13

[quote Nicknacky]@newmummy21 You don’t think you were rude to the poster you swore at? Really?[/quote]

Did you see why I told her to fuck off? Read what she said to me first.

OP posts: