Why is maternity leave from work 1 year but from UC it is 2 years?

[Bucdynovehbkfdg]

this isn’t a benefit bashing thread, I believe that people should claim what they’re entitled too. I just don’t understand why all mothered aren’t entitled to the same amount of time off with their children.

I’m currently on maternity leave, and obviously we have up to a year off work.

i was just wondering why parents in UC don’t have to look for work until their baby is 2?

But why doesn’t the government make maternity leave 2 years, so that all mums can spend an equal time with their children before returning to work?

there’s 30 free hours from 9 months now, so there’s really no excuse mums of UC to not have to look for work at age 1, the age when working mums return to work by?

Obviously I know it would differ between SMP/OMP/unpaid part of mat leave, but even if the extra year was unpaid some working mums would be able to take it!

Single parents have to engage with a work coach from when their child turns one. It's the age of 3 where they need to look for work up to 30 hours

I feel you have missed the point

“Mums on UC probably have less of a support network on average”

What are you basing this on? Why are they less likely to have a support network?

Why not stay off work and avail yourself if the extra year on UC? Sounds like it's available to you and you're opting not to take it.

I don't think this is true. If you resign without a good reason, you aren't immediately entitled to UC

It is completely unrealistic to expect an employer to keep a job open for two years. It is bad enough now that some women say they are going back then only let the employer know they have changed their mind at the last minute and hope the company will not seek to reclaim any additional maternity salary paid in expectation of their return. You mention some countries being more generous. Just be thankful you are not in USA .They barely get any maternity leave as basic.

It's not quite the same thing. People on Mat leave are returning to work. People on UC aren't in work and are having to prepare for it

No it's not impossible. My mum had me while she was at uni and worked after she graduated but there's a whole list of factors that make up people's circumstances

Under the old rules a mum on income support didn't need to look for work till the child was 12

It's not MAT leave. Being on benefits is not MAT leave

You could get it but it would go to a decision maker

Maybe because a woman on UC is more likely to be vulnerable than a woman on maternity leave.

No, but you expect a business to hold a job for someone for 2 years??

Its tough enough

1. for women of childbearing age to get employed - even though its not allowed to discriminate against, you know it happens and

2. on the businesses side cost of hiring a replacement for 2 years to cover the leave.

Its 3 not 2

So quit yor job and claim uc if you think its better and see how that works for you

I think it is changing and is in a transitioning period.

It certainly is round us from the sounds of some of the mums I'm interacting with. It has come up a few times at playgroup with the mums whose babies are 9-18 months. Since the 9 months childcare entitlement has come in, UC meetings about going back to work are starting earlier. They are not "official" back to work meetings but the conversation comes up at every appointment. There is a lot of "the job market is tough, it's taking a long time to find roles, i'd suggest you start looking now/ do this course now because you need to be back in work by the time they are 2" and "what sector are you hoping to go back into, perhaps you should do x, y,z now" style conversations happening. They seem to be in the "gentle touch/ encouragement" group and encouragement to do courses/ training/ looking for work seems to start around baby turning 1 rather than 2 (which is was when I had DD1). This is especially the case where the other partner isn't meeting the administrative earnings threshold. If your partner is meeting that then the conversation does seem to start a bit later at around 18 months.

The 9 months childcare allowance is also helping to pile pressure on as not having childcare or struggling with childcare is no longer an excuse for not attending interviews or taking jobs with not great hours.

I’m fairly certain it’s 3 not 2
but in the last year you have to do work preparation stuff with a work coach

when I was a single mum you could stay on benefits till they left education at 20
then they moved it to twelve
then 3
Wasn’t that long ago either

Single parents are in different preparation groups between ages 1-2 and 2-3

They don't need to actively job search until their child is 3.

It is 3. A friend held them off until 3 at great effort, the pressure from 2 was intense. She is not the only one that has held them off and they all have similar experiences to my friend. It is very much a get something before you are pushed feeling and advice other mums are giving to mums of 2 year olds happening round here.

When her little boy turned 3 they became ruthless with the pressure and threats of sanction and gleefully signed her up countless agencies who "will find you work". The work is almost entirely shifts in badly run care homes staffed almost entirely by agency staff. If she refuses the shifts then she is interrogated at her back to work meetings and threats happen.

Why is she so reluctant to work?

@Icecreamandcoffee
The 9 months childcare allowance is also helping to pile pressure on as not having childcare or struggling with childcare is no longer an excuse for not attending interviews or taking jobs with not great hours.

That's concerning given the number of jobs that want to chop and change shifts, and the difficulty (as mentioned by PP) of getting childcare in place in advance.

(Eek. I'm up shit creek, aren't I?!)

Agree

With respect, you've just given more details about what you did, not how you did it.

What did you do if kids were ill?
How did you find childcare for odd hours waitressing, or how did you convince employer to give you regular hours?
What about childcare for job interviews?
How did you find time to work, study, and do all the childcare and household stuff?
How did you manage to get a nursery place in time for teacher training? (Or was it not so difficult then?)

I'm assuming part of the answer is having a supportive partner who works regular hours (not wild shift patterns).

My partner worked shifts at a super market. Luckily we had supportive managers and we basically tag teamed.

nursery was easier then admittedly!

if they were sick I had to take time off.

i worked days and weekends.

I used to wake up at 4am during exam season to study. And I would complete uni while she was in the living room with me at home. I got a first in a STEM subject from a russel group uni.

i used to meal prep r things i could defrost one day a week (curry, spaghetti Bol, etc) then boil pasta/rice. But the household stuff was stressful.

Paid Mat leave in the UK is not 1 year. 3 months of that is unpaid. And some of it is half pay.

I was being sarcastic

But that’s an option available to you too if you don’t earn enough. You are free to take another year out of work and get funded by Uc if your household income is below threshold. You’re choosing to go back and just be off one year

Nobody is forcing you to return to work after a year, if you think you can survive on UC for an additional 12 months then what is stopping you? It’s because it’s not a financial advantage