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.

When do you think it might come back to bite us? Because I grew up in a country with universal free childcare and I was a nursery baby. So were all of my cousins. So were all of my friends and their children. I am 42 and don't consider myself to be traumatised. Should I expect to find myself collapsing in a traumatic heap in a decade or so?

There ate obvious differences between nursery and boarding school. The most obvious being that my parents took me there every morning, kissed my forehead and wished me a good day and picked me up every night without fail. Nobody shipped me to a different county to forget about me until the next school holiday.

For a couple of hours before bed.

Here’s the thing about a discussion forum. People disagree on certain issues.

It’s common knowledge that a child thrives better with a primary carer until age 3.

I think it’s wrong for 9 month old babies to be left with a stranger outwith their home for 8 hours or more a day.

You have a problem with boarding schools, so do I.

I have a problem with 5 days nursery for babies. You don’t.

We’re both allowed an opinion.

So in countries where the majority of babies are in nursery do they actually have far more screwed up adults?

You tell me.

Well I think if the whole of Scandinavia had all these traumatized people then it would be public knowledge.

Take Denmark s an example. 92% of kids attend nursery.

Yet UNICEF also show that Denmark comes 2ndd from top overall for child well being. Uk is 21st

According to UNICEF's 2025 Report Card 19 and related studies, Denmark consistently ranks among the top countries globally for child well-being (often 2nd behind the Netherlands), while the UK sits in the bottom third (ranked 21 out of 36). Denmark leads in mental health, physical health, and social skills due to strong social trust and public services.

So where are all these traumatized kids due to nursery?

You can justify your position until the cows come home but I won’t change my mind.

Ok but just stating FACTS. Carry on with your delusional ideas then as you actually have no proof for what you are saying

I don’t need proof to have an opinion. Your link didn’t even mention nursery btw. Thanks for the name calling though. You’re obviously upset with people having different opinions from you.

Ok but Denmark has the highest amount of kids in nursery. So seeing as they are all supposed to be traumatized they seem to be doing pretty well actually

Where’s your source?

ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Early_childhood_education_statistics

https://denmark.dk/society-and-business/lifelong-education

A screenshot from that page

No mention regarding the % of babies under 2.

Most children go a couple of sessions in their pre school year.

My post was about babies being in nurseries for child care all week from 9 months old.

Ok can you read graphs? This one clearly shows that the majority of kids are in nursery. This is the 0-2 age group

And my sources don’t. Of course I can’t read graphs. I’ve never been to school 🤨

The bloody point isthat Denmark does not have a load of screwed up kids or adults due to nursery attendance.

No one is making you send your kids to nursery but stop with trying to fearmonger and guilt trip others.

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Why can't people fund anything themselves these days? Why does the government have to pay for everything! No wonder there's no money left in the kitty for the genuine cases who actually need help!

DH and I both get less than that for state pension