To think statutory maternity pay should be the same amount as the state pension?

[BridgertonToBe]

I don’t have children, probably never will. But I do think SMP is shockingly low, and if the government is really worried about the birth rate they should look at this.

Many women on maternity only get SMP and no enhanced package from their employer. It’s current set at a maximum of £187.18 a week for 39 weeks. If mothers want to be off for 52, it will be unpaid.

The new state pension is £230.25 a week. While those on maternity may have a partner to support them, they probably won’t have any other income while many pensioners also have a private pension alongside the SP.

AIBU to think that if £230.25 is needed by all pensioners over 66 for a basic standard of living (who probably have less outgoings than a young family), SMP should be the same?

If we can afford to pay the state pension to every pensioner for the rest of their lives out of NI, we can afford to support new working mothers birthing and raising the next generation of workers for a short amount of time. The financial hit is a big deterrent for people having children. I also think SMP should be paid from birth until the child’s first birthday.

Theres worse gaps tbh. Self employed adopters are exempt from any maternity pay. Despite countless campaigns nobody has ever come clean about why there’s this discrimination. Doubly unfair when you consider that few adoptive parents are ever able to work FT or in a high pressured/well paid job post adopting.
There’s gaps and unfairness everywhere in the system especially for the more vulnerable.
https://www.adoptionuk.org/news/self-employed-adopters-face-unequal-treatment-if-they-want-to-start-a-family-report-finds

Except that would be illegal to discriminate like that.

I think all parents (men and women) should be offered decent parental leave (as happens in some northern European countries) that would allow them to continue paying the bills during one of the biggest upheavals in their lives, and keep from potential discrimination against women in it workplace

If it a choice of being around for you child and having no money or someone else looking after your child whilst you work to provide for it then you need to work. The state shouldn’t be responsible for paying for anyone’s child. It is hard choice, one of which I had to make myself, but providing for them is equally as important as being around.

Isn’t that the point OP is making? That people can’t afford to have kids now?

Lots of retired people have long ago paid off their mortgages and so their pension doesn’t need to cover their housing. Young mums are often at the height of their housing debt.

Most paid into pensions all their working life to pay for their pensions though. Majority have been utterly shafted too with the year they are entitled being pushed back constantly. Its not as if they just expected money when they turned a certain age!

OK, fair point, I accept that.

Or the two (SMP & SPs) are not comparable as they are totally different situations perhaps???

Many errors and assumptions in this. I’m a pensioner and get £194 per week. Retirement isn’t a choice. Maternity is usually a choice.

Wow... and I know people who don't need to claim SMP or indeed ever work as they are rich......so where does that get us now.

There just is no comparison between SMP and SP!

Well, kind of but don’t we compare everything? Isn’t relativity important? (Answer is yes!).

So on that basis, all young people shouldn't bother getting in debt to buy a house because then they will have too many assets when they retire???

Oh I have had an idea......maybe young people should freeze their eggs and wait until they are pensioners and don't have to work to fertilise their eggs cos according to you lot they are rich, and don't have to work so are in a better position to cope with this???

Pensioners have had the same fights as current parents, trying to buy a home at the same time as raising kids, why are we pensioner bashing today?

Two totally different arguments.

No there is no relativity between SMP & SP.

We don't have the money to keep spending - maybe we should reduce the pension to the maternity pay level?

Why are we elder bashing here? Retirement is permanent, SMP is temporary - no comparison!

Thank you. I agree.

Agreed - this is a false, pointless comparison.

I don’t think it’s about who has it harder. The problem is that young people are very squeezed financially in their 20s and 30s and if we want future tax payers to look after all our pensioners the we need babies.

Except that would be illegal to discriminate like that.

It wouldn't. Ever heard of youth unemployment exploding? there are threads here on MN talking about youngsters sending out hundreds of CVs and unable to find any job. Well, there are several reasons, but increased NMW for under 20yo is one of the key ones. Why would you hire someone inexperienced if you can get a trained worker for for just slightly more.
This wouldn't affect professionals as much because they usually get their full salaries for 6-9 months, but low skilled workers, who usually get SMP, employers will simply shift to older women or men.

Plenty of women recieving pensions were SAHMs and didn't contribute for many years.

Oh I could cry, so we need babies so we can afford to look after our pensioners do we? So most recipients of SP are Boomers, do you know why they called them Boomers, it stands for baby boomers! They’re named after the post‑war baby boom — the huge surge in births that happened after World War II ended.
But everyone seems to be bashing boomers here yet the solution to the problem, according to you, is to recreate the boomer generation, I could laugh if it wasn't so sad.

SMP and SP have no correlation!

But this has always been the case. Setting up a home and having children has always been the most expensive years. There is nothing unique about the situation 30 somethings find themseles in and i have no idea why they think their situation is in any way unique.
There is a lot of ignorance on this thread about pensions and saving for retirement too. Workplace pensions were nowhere near as widespread as they are now and not everyone could have one anyway. Saving for retirement is universal and easy nowadays but it has not always been the case.

Why are you telling me this ?
I took my nhs pension at 55 ….I’m all good thanks 🙄
like I said….having a baby is a choice….getting old isn’t

Good question. What about them?

If that's the case they won't be able to afford full time nursery fees when the baby is born

I don't get this at all. Retirement most definitely is a choice for most people.