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!

Yes it doesn't sound fair. I was made redundant while heavily pregnant and lost my enhanced maternity pay. I signed up for job seekers allowance at 7 months pp and was expected to get a job even though the lady at the job centre told me if I was on UC I wouldn't be expected to look for work.

Fundamentally I don't disagree with you but ultimately there is nothing stopping you from quitting your job and going on UC if you think mothers on UC are better off?

Also going to point out that some people on UC study (full or part time). Some people are trying to make life better for themselves. A friend of mine gets 400 pounds a month for herself and the child element and that's pretty much it (there are reasons why the dad isn't in their lives ).

She struggles financially

1year maternity leave for workers is sufficient. UC maternity leave should be cut to a max of 6 months though. Benefits need to be cut and privileges removed

i Never said they were better off financially, but that they spend longer with their children 🙄

Not sure if anyone has said similar already but although there is no requirement to work when the child is 1, claimants are still expected to do the following (if they are not exempt from work due to illness/disability or caring duties etc):

Age 1 - You will not be expected to look for work. The only work-related activity you will be expected to do is to have regular appointments to discuss a future move into work.

Age 2 - You will not be expected to look for work. The work-related activities you will be expected to do are having regular appointments with Universal Credit and work preparation activities, such as writing your CV.

Age between 3 and 12 - You will be expected to work up to 30 hours a week, or spend up to 30 hours a week on work-related activities such as applying for jobs.

Age 13 and above - You will be expected to work up to 35 hours a week, or spend up to 35 hours a week on work-related activities such as applying for jobs.

I also never mentioned finances but if you feel strongly that the time spent with their children outweighs the financial impact then you can also make that decision to take the financial hit if you wish?

I am just saying that you have options if you think that there is a better solution for you and your family.

@Bucdynovehbkfdg 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?

That doesn't sound like equality to me. Paternity leave is 2 weeks, so I propose that all maternity and paternity leave is 2 weeks so all parents can spend an equal time with their children before returning to work.

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!

Any mother who can afford to take an unpaid year off work is not a "working mum." They would likely be middle class and their household income would be very high.

Actually the government only pays 92% of SMP. The other 8% is paid by your employer. (Exceptions for very small businesses only)

Your employer also has to continue to pay Employers National Insurance, and Employers Pension Contributions.

If they offer any additional benefits such as healthcare, they have to cover those too.

Other employer costs of that don’t stop during Maternity leave include employer insurance (which is often based on number of employees), and payroll costs.

Less direct costs include the administrative burden of managing maternity leave. This is why the government allows very small businesses to claim back more SMP, because they are disproportionately affected by the admin burden and indirect costs. But the admin burden is there for all businesses, just greater for small businesses.

of course there are also the recruitment costs for maternity leave cover (advertising, agency fees, staff time on recruitment, training). Those costs might not change much if it was two years rather than one.

The cover person might need to be paid more than the person on leave. For instance if you found it necessary to pay agency rates rather than salary to get the right person.

maternity leave isn’t free for Employers.

I disagree, it's not tone deaf at all.

If an employee is not going to paid to not work, why would someone who doesn't work be paid to not work? The post is about parity. Everyone chooses their situation, and l suspect many working women would choose 2 years not working if it was funded. But it's only funded if you aren't self sufficient beforehand.

No everyone doesn't choose their situation. Some people end up on UC due to redundancy. A friend of mine is on UC -her husband works. She doesn't -she has three disabled children

It's also not the case that UC is only funded if you aren't self sufficient before it. Some people on UC work. Some people get made redundant -some people get sacked and can claim UC afterwards

No family help here and we claim UC.

Why is tax not payable on universal credit as it is on wages? Totally totally wrong

Do you know what some people on UC get? 400 pounds a month for a single person over 25.

You have one year’s mat leave, and the right to return to your job after that.

You can have more time with your children, by giving up your right to return to your job.

women on UC don’t have a guaranteed job after two years.

One of the major problems is a lack of child care places. It's no good that you can get free hours, 85% back etc if there's no one to have your child. The last childminder collecting from DS's school went out of business during COVID. Everywhere else is too full to consider picking up from there and the local after school clubs are one closed down and the other full to bursting and a waiting list. The choice for parents is to use family/friends for childcare or limit work hours, I've had to do the second one as I don't have a network to cover everything. I think it may be a bit better for younger children where the link to a school doesn't matter but it's still not as simple as just book somewhere and get to work.

Why is it ? Because someone puts their head above the parapet and asks a question. There should be questions asked about benefits.

She is a single parent, child's dad refuses to have anything to do with their child. She is NC with most of her family and her dad (who brought her up) is in a care home so unable to provide childcare.

It wasn't that she didn't want to work, she needed something that would fit in with her child's childcare hours and when her child wouldn't settle at nursery and the nursery phoned her every day after they had screamed non stop for 3 hours for months on end no workplace would take her.

Getting pregnant whilst relying on state support and being able to take 2 years out of the work force, which is the issue under discussion, is definitely a choice and a situation of one's own making.

Yes it's poor for single people but others get thousands a month. Why shouldn't benefits be taxed if they get above the tax threshold. We've become a nation of mugs to let this current situation continue for so long.

Not everyone gets thousands a month. I'm on two types of disability benefits and I can assure you I do not get thousands. The people I know on benefits (UC) -including people in work, struggle.

The free childcare is term time only. It’s extremely hard to get work during school and term time hours.

I guess it depends if they are going to become taxpayers or if they're going to continue down the generations of family members who live off benefits.

Yes, but the poster is talking about taxing those who do get thousands.

Lot's of people don't -I don't need UC explaining to me if that's ok. Working tax credits weren't taxable either. Some people who get more money have severely disabled children for example

My friend has three