Back to work or not?

[Secondtimemum24]

I have a dilemma … my baby is 4 months old I said I’d go back to work when she’s 7 months old … now I’m regretting that… I’m worried if I give up work I won’t have enough money… it’s only me no dad so I’m on universal credits and have 2 other children but they’re older … is anyone or has anyone been in my position?
will my universal credits go up if I leave work? Etc ….
im thinking to go back to work I’ll be paying my wages all to childcare 😩

I think that UC pay 80% of your Childcare costs. Have you put in a claim for CMS?

If you don't go back will you have to pay back some of your Maternity Pay?

I think it would be worth putting a few scenarios through benefit calculators so you can see what the situations would be.
Option 1. Return to work at 7 months as planned.
Option 2. Return to work but take longer break. Is returning at 9 -12 months and option. Related to this - is taking annual leave to extend the maternity leave and option? I finished my mat leave with a lot of annual leave. My friends used it to make their leave longer but I went back on sick leave so used it through out my first year back.
Option 3. Not returning

I was meant to return to work at 9 months but instead I was too unwell and at 10 months was admitted to a mother and baby unit for 10 weeks. I then had 3 months on sick/fit notes. I had 1 month completely off and then did a phased return over 2 months where I got to 4 days a week where I stopped. I'm on 80% hours but because I pay less NI, tax and student loans my take home pay is about 90% of my full time hours so it might be worth doing some take home pay calculations for going back on reduced hours. I'm about £100 a month worse off for dropping a day at work once nursery fees are taken into account but I cope with life so much better.