maternity pay: what happens after the 6 weeks of 90% pay?

[MrsFrederick25]

I am such a clueless mum to be. At the moment maternity leave is a glimmering light at the end of this tunnel of commuting hell, horrible work, constant sickness and general doom. I'm so so so excited to have a few weeks to prepare for my baby and just have some me time before further months of learning to be a mummy! But in reality will it really be walks in the park, designer baby outfit shopping and long lunches with the girls, or will I actually be exhausted, broke and up to my neck in bills I cannot pay??

What happens after the 6 weeks of 90% pay? I am confused!

I think I may need some advice at least...or perhaps a full on reality check??!!

Most places its SMP - 132 per week iirc?

I found I spent a hell.of a lot less while.on mat leave. No petrol.in my car, time to shop at bargain places/local butchers/greengrocers. Way way less nights out too.

Thanks, I think I was hoping there was some kinda inbetween stage to ease you gently into brokeness but apparently not! Doh!
I reckon I could easy peasily live of £132 per week if I didn't have a mortgage and endless bills to pay. Don't actually know how hubby and I are gonna cope!! Even If I contributed my entire £132 towards bills we'd still be struggling and I'd have zero to actually live off. So much for the shopping and daily dining out :(

Can you put aside any of your full pay from the first six weeks to top up the SMP weeks?

Also don't forget you may be entitled to family allowance - think it is £22 a week.

Yes you get SMP, if you are full time its £134 (?) a week something like that

'walks in the park, designer baby outfit shopping and long lunches with the girls' Bless you. No.

It is hard to cope with a sudden drop financially, but you really should be preparing financially for that. The money strains won't suddenly right themselves (ever) again. Children are flipping expensive. So you may as well get used to it (all doom and gloom sorry!) But yes I had the 90% at 6 weeks and then dropped to statuatory.

Have a check with your HR department as your company may offer a different maternity package (ie I'm on 16 weeks 90%, 12 weeks 50% then the rest is paid at SMP). Regardless though it should all be paid at the same time as your usual pay.

Okay...reality check duly noted!!

I'm only 8 weeks so I guess It's hardcore scrimping and saving from now on. I wonder whether I'll be entitled to any help with my interest only mortgage?
Either way it looks like i'll have to go back to full time work after 6 months, dreading that. Must be so hard to leave such a small baby and go back to work. I don't know if I could bear it, missing out on everything must be horrible!

Also my baby will have two very busy working grannies so we'd have to fork out for child care which will probably leave us broke anyway! noooooooo :(

I can empathise. We have been saving every spare penny since I found out I was pregnant and it is still far from being enough for me to stay at home for any great length of time. So now we are selling off bits and pieces that we do not use and going through all our bills to see where we can cut back further all to allow an extra few weeks at home.

In relation to childcare often they require a deposit or payment of a set period in advance as well as the requirement for you to book the space quite a bit in advance. Worth double checking what it is like in your area.

Does your dhs wage cover the bills?

Was the pregnancy planned ??

Did you not consider any of this before you got knocked up?

MrsF, nearly 2 years ago I could have written your post. 2 weeks before baby arrived was bliss, girls lunches, expensive blanket shopping (wtf!?!), having nails done etc.

Didn't save a frickin bean... Spent next 10 months skint & spending on credit cards. Now regretting that - majorly!!!

DC is on way now (12 weeks) - not sure how we'll cope with 2 lots of childcare costs but hey ho!!!

Credit cards have been binned - eeeeek.

However, I didn't find the return to work (now 9 til 3) hard at all... In fact I really enjoyed it. Spent 10 months dreading it, but actually its good to have a break & little one is now a happy sociable independent little girl who is happy to be around anyone.

Before becoming pregnant me and DH say down and work out what the maternity pay would be for a whole year and then divided it by 12 months. It's worked out well like this and is a lot easier in the final months.

Ask your HR dept. Every company is different.

Mine was 6 weeks full pay
Next 12 weeks half pay
Then SMP

eurochick did you mean to be so rude? How about offering something constructive instead of judgement?

Op if you are a lone parent or on a low income you may be entitled to help with the interest on your mortgage.

Call your HR department and ask for a copy of their maternity pay policy.

While you're speaking with HR, don't forget to ask about any pension contributions you're making/ share schemes etc. - these will continue to be deducted from your SMP unless you make other arrangements.

You might want to consider reducing contributions now if things are really tight.

Also- many babies around the world are 'left' with other carers before 6 months old. Is not horrible or awful. People must work to feed those babies and very fee jobs allow you to take the baby with you. Please think before you post comments like that. I am not in the least inseure about the decisions i have made about childcare but other people here may be and reading your comment will not be pleasant or helpful for them.

I'd recommend what we did - work out how much you will lose from your net income once you go back to work and try and save that. I.e. you (as a couple) work out what your childcare costs will be/any drop in salary for going part time etc and then take away any benefits that you will get that you're not entitled to now (child benefit etc). Put that amount directly into a savings account from your salary each month. That helps in two ways - it gives you a chance to get used to your new net income now and it means that you save a sum for tiding you over maternity leave. Depending on where you live that could be quite a bit - round here the going rate is about £1100 full time nursery for a baby so save that for the next 6/7 months and you should have a good cushion for maternity leave. IF you can't live on the new net amount then you have some time to work out what to do about it!

I wonder if someone can answer a question I have been pondering.

The first month you are off do you get paid your normal salary as you have already earned that money and then go on to the maternity money?

When it comes to pensions as well, they take a % of your salary don't they, not just a fixed payment.

Yes to pensions but I think you are still expected to cover your normal contribution so you maintain the pension rather than drop contributions. Not sure though, mine is about 2 weeks of smp so need to confirm that!

This post just made me look into maternity pay in a bit more detail! I'm hoping to TTC from Dec onwards... However, I am a teacher, and start a new job in Jan.

Just reading about SMP and OMP.. the document says that you only qualify for OMP if you have worked in the same authority for over 1 year. This won't be the case for me (assuming all goes to plan and I'm pregnant soonish).

Anyone got any advice??

I think if you haven't worked for the set period of time then you can claim the maternity pay yourself. (I could be wrong I am just going on what happened to a woman I work with)

thanks Star (if your comment is a reply to me!!) Do you know if she was able to claim the Occupational Maternity Pay too? That one seems to be the one that pays most!!