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AIBU?

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Original poster

Maternity pay

191 replies

NoMonNoFunx · 09/10/2025 22:05

What do you All do after 9 months when maternity Pay stops and you want to take the year.
am I being unreasonable to think we should get paid for the year.
I’ve always worked.

OP posts:
SantaArt · 10/10/2025 12:06

PeonyPatch · 09/10/2025 22:27

Not everyone is in a position to save though - some people are earning just enough to cover rent/mortgage and bills.

If someone cannot save AT ALL on their normal wage how on earth will they afford paying for a baby and everything they need?

SJM1988 · 10/10/2025 12:09

Saved up and budgeted.
If you've always worked surely you have savings and thought about that in the future.

UnicornLand1 · 10/10/2025 12:41

Honestly, I think the maternity pay/conditions in this country are pathetic in comparison to other EU countries, especially if we take in the account the plummeting birth rate. Now, in most of Europe, you get 100% paid 1 year of maternity leave + some type of benefit when the child is born + another benefit for 2-3 years of the child's life, if you want to stay at home or nursery/nanny subsidy. In some countries you don't even have to work when you're pregnant from 3 months on as long as you get the doctor's certificate. But just like the others have said, yes, you'd need to save the money here in order to have a child... very offputting, isn't it?

Hankunamatata · 10/10/2025 13:07

Saved to cover the shortfall before hand

LottieMary · 10/10/2025 13:07

I do agree it’s a shame that the funded childcare starts at 9m but there’s no option to use that as an extension to parental pay up to a year.

Original poster
NoMonNoFunx · 10/10/2025 23:08

DorothyStorm · 09/10/2025 22:09

I had enough in savings before both my pregnancies. I could cover the bills and beyond.

If youve always worked, did you not save first?

Yes, I did, but it is running out, it has to last the whole way through as maternity pay is next to nothing.
We had summer holidays- birthdays- uniforms etc etc

OP posts:
Original poster
NoMonNoFunx · 10/10/2025 23:09

SJM1988 · 10/10/2025 12:09

Saved up and budgeted.
If you've always worked surely you have savings and thought about that in the future.

Yes, I did 🥱

but the government need to do their part and pay the year if they give the year

OP posts:
Original poster
NoMonNoFunx · 10/10/2025 23:10

LottieMary · 10/10/2025 13:07

I do agree it’s a shame that the funded childcare starts at 9m but there’s no option to use that as an extension to parental pay up to a year.

We don’t get that in my country.

OP posts:
Original poster
NoMonNoFunx · 10/10/2025 23:11

SantaArt · 10/10/2025 12:06

If someone cannot save AT ALL on their normal wage how on earth will they afford paying for a baby and everything they need?

Show quote history

Most likely UC or partners income?

OP posts:
TrustedTheWrongFart · 10/10/2025 23:12

NoMonNoFunx · 10/10/2025 23:09

Yes, I did 🥱

but the government need to do their part and pay the year if they give the year

Show quote history

Why should the government pay when it’s an employment benefit?

Vote with your feet, find a job that pays a year maternity.

tripleginandtonic · 10/10/2025 23:13

I think 9 months, with a choice to extend it to 12 months isn't too bad. It was 4 months when I had mine with no right to extend. I think you should be recovered from your pregnancy after 9 months on the whole.

Original poster
NoMonNoFunx · 10/10/2025 23:16

TrustedTheWrongFart · 10/10/2025 23:12

Why should the government pay when it’s an employment benefit?

Vote with your feet, find a job that pays a year maternity.

Show quote history

Mine is paid by government. Not my employer!!

OP posts:
DownThePubWithStevieNicks · 10/10/2025 23:18

For the vast majority of women with healthy babies and no significant birth injuries, a full year is a luxury not a necessity.

I happen to believe that European countries that offer extended paid family leave have it right, but we don’t have that and so the reality is if you can’t afford a year you don’t take a year. It sounds like this isn’t your first baby so I’m not sure why this has come as a surprise.

JC89 · 10/10/2025 23:27

NoMonNoFunx · 10/10/2025 23:09

Yes, I did 🥱

but the government need to do their part and pay the year if they give the year

Show quote history

They allow you to take the year and then pick up where you left off at work (in theory anyway), they don't say you have to take a full year. No-one is forcing you to take 3 months unpaid!

It would be nice to be paid for the full year, but it's not going to happen any time soon and I wouldn't want them to reduce the legally allowed length of maternity leave to the time the the government are willing to pay...

SJM1988 · 11/10/2025 07:26

NoMonNoFunx · 10/10/2025 23:09

Yes, I did 🥱

but the government need to do their part and pay the year if they give the year

Show quote history

They do do their part. We get a hell of a lot more than other countries in terms of money and being allowed up to a year off.
You also dont have to take the full year. Its optional so if you cant afford it dont take it. I didnt with my first but did with my second.

Either save for your maternity leave or get a job that pays for the full year....there are companies out there that do that.

snoopyfanaccountant · 11/10/2025 07:28

LottieMary · 10/10/2025 13:07

I do agree it’s a shame that the funded childcare starts at 9m but there’s no option to use that as an extension to parental pay up to a year.

Not in Scotland. It doesn't start here until 3 years old.

StopEatingTheBiscuits · 11/10/2025 07:30

snoopyfanaccountant · 09/10/2025 22:11

Back in 2001 I got 6 weeks at 90% pay and then 10 weeks on SMP. That was the legal requirement. I had no choice but to return to work when my baby was 16 weeks old (I was the breadwinner and to complicate matters, I was made redundant because the company closed when she was 6 weeks old - fortunately I found a new job which started as my maternity leave was due to end).

Edited

Yup I did the same. So pleased to see things have progressed now and women get more!

stoptalkingdirtytome · 11/10/2025 07:30

Mines stopped now and I’m going to be on UC

Youcancallmeirrelevant · 11/10/2025 07:33

I changed jobs before I got pregnant to get a much better maternity pay policy, I saved to make sure I could afford to take the time off. Having kids is a personal decision

WobblyBoots · 11/10/2025 07:34

Saved up for it. Tbh SMP did not touch the sides of our outgoing so I saved to top that up as well. It's really hard, I only got maternity pay from my employer for my third baby and I felt so lucky. Made the world of difference.

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 11/10/2025 07:35

Where do you think the money should come from?

JasperTheDoll · 11/10/2025 07:40

All you people saying save, do all of you actually plan when to have a baby?

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 11/10/2025 07:40

DownThePubWithStevieNicks · 10/10/2025 23:18

For the vast majority of women with healthy babies and no significant birth injuries, a full year is a luxury not a necessity.

I happen to believe that European countries that offer extended paid family leave have it right, but we don’t have that and so the reality is if you can’t afford a year you don’t take a year. It sounds like this isn’t your first baby so I’m not sure why this has come as a surprise.

Those countries are a minority even in Europe. I live in France where maternity is 16 weeks and if you want to take longer than that you can take parental leave and get paid 400€ per month. I managed to stretch my maternity leave out to 7 months each time using a combination of parental leave and accrued holiday. That was considered long here. 9 months paid mat leave seems like an unimaginable luxury to me and I'm not sure what planet the OP is living on.

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 11/10/2025 07:41

JasperTheDoll · 11/10/2025 07:40

All you people saying save, do all of you actually plan when to have a baby?

Of course.

Scottishskifun · 11/10/2025 07:46

Did a combination of Keeping in touch days and had tax refund. We did also save but I switched with DH at 9.5 months to shared parental leave as mine is the bigger salary by quite a way so made financialsense for him to be on zero rather then me. I then had a years worth of holiday and bank holidays so I was "working" but on annual leave til 11ish months.