To think that Statutory Maternity Pay 'increasing' is actually a cut

[winterwonder1]

DWP Statutory Maternity Pay rates to increase in 2025 | The Northern Echo

This is a cut in real terms, right? I know, in an ideal world, everyone would have savings/an employer that pays above the statutory minimum/a partner who earns so much it doesn't matter, but in the real world women are living off half of minimum wage?

Yes, a cut in real terms. SMP is a disgrace.

I could never understand why SMP is so shit in the UK and how people are so brave to have children with this state of affairs.
I also can't wrap my head around "90% of salary or x amount , whichever is lower". Why are we striving for the lowest pay? Where I come from there is a minimum amount of SMP but there isn't a maximum. A mother is entitled to 20 weeks of fully paid maternity which is calculated based on her tax returns in 12 months before the beginning of pregnancy. If someone's salary was a million euros, that's what they would get. If someone was unemployed, they will get a minimum statutory amount which is still higher than £186 per week even though cost of living is significantly lower. There was also an additional monthly family allowance on top which was about 500 euros but I think this may have been scrapped last year.
Not to mention heavily subsidised childcare with a full time nursery placemen costing about 200 euros a month.
The state-mandated inequality in the UK which disadvantages women is unacceptable in the 21st century.

SMP rates are atrocious.

I think employers should have to publish their maternity pay policies on their websites so women could be better informed about accepting jobs where only SMP is offered. Because who is going to ask in an interview?

Disgraceful rates of SMP put women in such a vulnerable financial position compared to men; unless the pregnant woman has significant personal savings she is likely to br dependant on her partner agreeing to eg a full access joint account, or else she'll have to 'ask' him for money.

It's not right. Awful maternity rates are exist and remove women's agency.

Yes, too many companies hide their maternity policies - understandably most women won't ask until they need to use it.

When i was last on smp I was earning £123 per shift. I then went to £170 (ish) per week. DH had to work constant to cover the difference.

And of course asking about it highlights the fact you might one day use it, which can put a mark against your name.

I also think that SMP is abysmally low. But I am kind of surprised that anyone is complaining about it being a cut in real terms whilst bashing the public sector (who have had significant cuts in pay in real terms for 15 years and who don't leave women to survive on SMP) is such a popular pastime for many on here. And that's before we throw in the many threads about the disabled getting too much money etc., etc. In the real world, an awful lot of people are living on much less than the minimum wage.

I can't see anyone bashing the public sector here?

I'm on SMP right now as I unexpectedly fell pregnant after starting a new job.. I was 5 days out from being able to receive their maternity package!!
I've taken the full year and was only paid a pittance for 9 months and now nothing until I return...
It's been pretty bleak. Baby was unexpectedly so had not saved to cover it.
I had the same issue in my twenties when I unexpectedly fell pregnant.. I'd been working for the same place for 4 years but on a zero hours contract so no maternity package at all! Awful to work full time for someone for 4 years then get a pittance when u fall pregnant..
And to cap it off my employer got dates mixed up when they responded to an enquiry about it and sent the wrong dates to the dwp so my claim was initially rejected!! And I didn't end up receiving any money until my baby was 6 months old. I got it back paid due to the error but for those 6 months I was penniless. I was so depressed. I had to go to a charity for food and the babies father had to pay all my rent and bills from his wages.. which thankfully he did without question but imagine if he hadn't been as good of a man?
You are left so vulnerable. SMP should protect women but it's not fit for purpose the money is a pittance and it's like getting blood out of a stone trying to access it.
I had issues getting it this time as well due to a midwife making an error and crossing it out causing them to reject the whole application!! Again I did not receive any money until my baby was months old.
Thankfully I had support from babies father again..
But I just imagine there are women out there with no support who expect to be able to rely on this and they can't!
And you can't claim other benefits as you are regarded as employed!!

Oh you poor thing - that sounds awful.

I’m very meh about maternity pay to be honest. I was entitled to 1/2 pay for three months then standard for however long it was.
I didn’t claim the enhanced as I never had any intention of going back also why I don’t know how long it was.
It was a bonus in my first year of being a SAHM nothing more.
I do always wonder what these people who moan about maternity pay then moan about childcare costs actually thought would happen when they had children.
Children are expensive you can either afford it or you can’t I think the fact of you want to return to work your job is held for 12 months is a massive thing and far outweighs the fact the payment isn’t so great. Imagine having to go back after 6 weeks or whatever. Sometimes you have to know which side your bread is buttered.