Advice on maternity leave

[cupcakegirl22]

Hi guys, I really need advice on how to cope financially on maternity leave. I privately rent which is £1300 and I’m a single parent to 3 children. My upcoming pay from SMP is going to be £873, so I’m very worried about paying my rent + other bills. I do get UC, but it’s still not enough to cover my rent and bills. My rent also comes out before I get paid the UC.

I was due to go back to work in April, but the nursery I applied for say they won’t be able to accommodate my baby then. The nursery is on my work site and I work at a hospital, so I have to start at 7:15 am and the nursery is from 7am. I know not many nurseries start that early, which is why I could only apply for that one. I have no family or anyone to help either. So now I’m feeling really stressed and worried, is there anything else I can do? I’ve applied for council house (will be impossible) and applied for discretionary housing benefit too. How are single parents on mat leave coping? This seems insane to survive. Any tips/ ideas greatly appreciated!

Have you checked if you're entitled to any benefits? https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/

I already get universal credit and child benefit, but it’s still not enough 😢

Sounds like you need to go back to work asap, are there any childminders who could manage those hours?

Have you asked about changing your hours at work?

Is the baby's dad going to pay maintenance or share childcare? I know that its not always possible or safe to do this but if he is around he needs to contribute

I’ve been thinking about going back to work, but baby’s dad is not around and my family live far away, so it’s just me looking after her. I’ve also thought about childminders, but I can’t drive and I would have to get the bus at 5:40am. I just don’t know what to do, it seems like there’s no support for single parents anywhere 😔

How have you been managing to work with your other children and early starts?

When I had my older 2 children I was married to their dad, so none of this was an issue

But presumably you have got them to school even when on early shifts, or was the break up more recent?

For the 2 older children, me and their dad co parent 50/50. So when they are with they dad that’s when I would go to work, it’s just little one I have to think about

You can check out turn2us they will help identify all benefits you are eligible for and signpost you to baby charities that will give you a lot of baby things either brand new or virtually brand new.
You get to keep these and can resell them.

What i would say is if you are early stage: would you consider abortion given the child has no present father and you have no visible means of supporting the child. You also have your 2 existing children to consider.

Very honestly most women who have 2 children who they already struggle to provide for wouldn't continue a 3rd pregnancy. I certainly wouldnt.... but really its your choice and if you do want the baby it will work out, you will find a way (and if you dont the state will ultimately provide for you)

Talk to your manager and if they are understanding enough ask to do 2/3 KIT (you are entitled to 10) days as ‘working from home’. You can ask to do all your e-learning that’s due in advance before going back to work on these days (no need to worry about childcare then). Depending on where you are on this on your payroll, it can bump up your next pay but you might have missed the window for this month’s payroll, but no harm in asking for help from your payroll team for the KIT days to be paid with next pay. This won’t affect your Mat pay.

Also contact your payroll and ask if your Trust does any salary advances. That will help for now but creates deductions on your future pay.

You said you get UC? That IS support for single parents. Well, anyone who needs it and is eligible.

This is why plenty of us have to plan the size of our family accordingly, and make tough decisions. Any way you can learn to drive as this could make it easier? And go back to work earlier and use a childminder?

OP, I think most of us would struggle with school/nursery runs as a single mum of 3 (who doesn’t drive) with a 9:00 start, let alone a 7:15 start. The dad needs to step up and parent his offspring; this shouldn’t all be on you.

Don't worry from April they are changing the rules for UC so you'll get money for all four of them which will likely be an extra £550 more per month than you're getting now plus child benefit on top of that.

@PhuckTrump I spoke to him a few days ago about it. I said I can’t survive on maternity pay anymore and I would have to return to work soon. As soon as I mentioned money he blocked me

Does anyone know how going on long term sick works? I’m really struggling with mental health and financially. Would I be able to end my maternity pay and then go straight to long term sickness? I heard you have to return to work for 3 months, but at this rate it’s virtually impossible for me to do that. I just feel like I have no options left

Get on to the CMS. He cant just walk away from his responsibility. He needs to pay for his child.

@TallulahBetty my universal credit and maternity pay is now not enough to cover all my rent and bills etc. I have my driving test booked for May, this was the earliest one I could get. I’ve looked into childminders, but I would have to get the bus at 5:40am and it’s just not possible for any childminder to start at that time

Have you put in a flexible working request for hours that would work better for you?

I was planning on returning in April doing 2 early shifts a week, so 7:15am-3:15pm. But the nursery I applied for can’t take my baby as they have no availability for them, and as a registered nurse you have to be there 7:15am for the handover etc.

If the nursery has no availability for those hours, do they have availability for other hours/ could you change your shifts to fit? What about other nurseries? Childminders?
If not, have you tried finding a different job?
You seem to be leaving it all pretty late if you're planning to return to work in April.

I applied for the nursery I wanted in March 2025, when I was about 4 months pregnant, for a placement in April 2026. I emailed them in November, and they said it would be highly unlikely that they would have availability for April 2026. This is the only nursery close to my work that starts at 7am, all the others start 7:30-8am. Again, I can’t get a childminder as I would have to leave for work at 5:40am to get the bus.

I have seriously considered changing jobs, but there’s a lack of them and I can’t drive. There is nothing local to me at the present time. I haven’t left things last minute, i just have a serious lack of support and working for the NHS doesn’t help

CMS?

I’m thinking this is the only way, I can’t keep living like this