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Original poster

Maternity pay

61 replies

Kell91 · 03/09/2022 12:27

Feeling stressed wondering how wel manage when I'm maternity pay il be £350 down a month until i return to work
I'll only be paid £626 a month i usually take home £1000 it's a big drop my partners works but it's not enough for us to survive on without my wage we just about scraped by. I'm worried now that gas and electric prices are going to be very high :(

OP posts:
addictedtotheflats · 05/09/2022 23:39

When is the baby due? Can you increase your hours temporarily (if not full time) during your calculation weeks or do overtime to boost your maternity pay.

Original poster
Kell91 · 05/09/2022 23:40

We dont earn loads only £26000 which isnt a lot so not I aint criricising low earners I'm talking about those who do nothing all day everyday yeah those that don't want to work.

OP posts:
dmask · 05/09/2022 23:41

Have you posted about this before, it feels very similar to a post a week or so ago?

Original poster
Kell91 · 05/09/2022 23:41

I work 5 shifts a week I can't do anymore than that I'll never see my children.

OP posts:
Original poster
Kell91 · 05/09/2022 23:42

I already do over my contracted hours.

OP posts:
RewildingAmbridge · 05/09/2022 23:43

You work five days a week for 12k? That's below minimum wage

dmask · 05/09/2022 23:45

What have you managed to save so far? You have an enviable position that you don’t need childcare.

dmask · 05/09/2022 23:45

What’s your shift pattern?

Original poster
Kell91 · 05/09/2022 23:46

My baby is Due 30th December I've got everything for our baby also so I'm not worried about that it's the recent energy price announcements that scare me so if higher earns than us struggle then god help the even lower earners it's going to be hell for everyone.

OP posts:
hangingbagger · 05/09/2022 23:47

I will lose £4,200 a month when I'm on maternity leave. I've saved a bit but living expenses are high (my share of the mortgage is £1000 a month so maternity pay isn't even going to cover it). Belts will be tightened and I'll be taking a very short leave.

Original poster
Kell91 · 05/09/2022 23:48

I take home just under 1k a month.

OP posts:
Original poster
Kell91 · 05/09/2022 23:50

Well that's a shame I don't agree its unfair system

OP posts:
dmask · 05/09/2022 23:52

You had so much advice on your last post, what do you think you were missing, or need more advice on?

www.mumsnet.com/talk/legal_money_matters/4617961-maternity-pay

Original poster
Kell91 · 05/09/2022 23:52

I work 5 hours a day so 25 hours week i couldn't possibly do anymore I'd have nobody for our girls in the evening

OP posts:
Original poster
Kell91 · 06/09/2022 00:02

I was hoping for someone in the same position to tell me what they did.
I'm very scared of universal credit at the moment there's no going back once you put in the claim we're on tax credits now 296 a month child tax and 145 child and benefit and 2300 wages before tax and ni sound's loads until you take into account our energy bills I believe its going hell of a lot I'm frustrated and worried alto yes I have bit saved up not that much really im worrying it will all be gone before I even get back to work i already spent £100s on school uniform and everything else the cost going up but wages aren't.

OP posts:
rolotops · 06/09/2022 00:07

The answer is to go back to work early I'm afraid. Our household income is around £6k pcm pre maternity leave. As I'm self employed and only entitled to MA I've gone back to work after 8 weeks this time round as we really can't afford to take another hit to our finances after depleting our savings on my last maternity leave. I'm fortunate I can work around my baby to an extent and if you only work evenings you'll have all day with yours.

The systems flawed but I don't know what the answer is. Don't have kids you can't afford I guess?

Original poster
Kell91 · 06/09/2022 00:09

Say that to those that sit at home all day please..

OP posts:
ItsJustLittleOlMe · 06/09/2022 00:19

I know OP, it is unfair. I have a friend who had 3 kids, about to have her 4th, and has barely worked a day in her life, all her rent is paid, gets universal credit, child benefit etc. She isn't well off but is still able to get by ok. While I watch our other friend who had to go back to work 3 months after her 3rd was born, struggle. It definitely isn't a fair system.

Kona84 · 06/09/2022 00:19

I can help you work out you UC entitlement if you like.
if you can put the following
are you or your partner over 25?
how many children and how many born before 2017?
do you pay rent or mortgage?
if rent what is your LOcal housing allowance for the amount of bedrooms you are entitled to? And is it private or social.
then what is your take home pay and is it weekly/4 weekly or monthly
and what is your partners take home pay is it weekly/4 weekly or monthly?

if you want to send me it in a private message if you prefer and I’ll work it out for you.

I have survived maternity leave on my works enhanced maternity pay for the first 18 weeks then statatory for the remaining- I get UC to top up.
I have done 10 keep in touch days with work to top up my income.

do you get any enhanced maternity pay from work?
for example I got 12 weeks full pay and the 6 weeks half pay.

Aretheyhavingalaugh · 06/09/2022 00:21

Don't worry about the energy bills, don't pay them and sort out some kind of payment plan when you go back to work. They can't cut you off when you have small children.

seafish · 06/09/2022 02:35

I was in a similar position. I'm currently on SMP. After the first 6 weeks 90% pay you'll be eligible for universal credit (depending on your partners income). The amount of universal credit varies per month as it depends on how much you were paid but averages around £500. Mine is based on one child and no parter, yours maybe similar as you have a partner but 3 DC. You get allowance per child. I applied before I was due as I knew I needed the money to survive. I'd recommend to apply before you're due and you should get the money when your income drops later. You've paid taxes, why not receive the help you've given money for..I've definitely paid more tax than what I will be receiving in UC for the year. I'm not embarrassed I'm on UC, im grateful for it.

havanamama · 13/09/2022 15:49

My salary will drop by 1800£ per month when SMP kicks in and my plan is to save the difference for those SMP & no maternity pay weeks and months.

choolaboola · 13/09/2022 15:57

I'll drop 2k a month when I go on mat leave. Scary but it's my first baby, I'm 36 and covid meant I got made redundant and I'm now in a start up with SMP only. I didn't think I could wait forever to see if this changed - hoping that I will be able to manage but for us, childcare on return to work will be another issue!

kikisparks · 15/09/2022 08:47

I suppose you and your partner could quit your jobs and claim benefits and sit at home all day if you think that’s such an easy and enviable position to be in.

PMAmostofthetime · 15/09/2022 08:59

Kell91 · 05/09/2022 22:55

Well It might be an option but don't see why I can't enjoy my time of like those who dont work seem to do permanently it's not forever I've paid my national insurance and taxes into the system.

I feel the same- it's an awful worry. We are trying to save but with everything going up it's just not possible.
My wages will drop massively and my partners wages won't make up the difference.
Why should we have to reduce maternity the first 300 days of a baby's life is the most important for connections and bonding.
It seems unfair that if I didn't work I'd be better off.

For this that say you should have planned we did but the cost of living is eating away at everything. There's no low payment amount for maternity leave or extra energy payments.

We have cut all extras reduced all our outgoings and it's not helping.

There's a petition about it

It's suspended at present until after the Queens funeral but here's the link

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/617155