SMP

[Moominy12]

Hi ladies,

I'm 33 weeks pregnant and currently living comfortably on mine and my partners wages. But after working out our wages whilst on smp, we have 220 to live off for the month which absolutely terrifies me! We simply won't be able to live with another mouth to feed on top of this. I'm losing sleep over this and is making me extremely stressed.

Will I be entitled to any help or anything that can be done during smp? It's just whilst I'm on the we're going to struggle.

Any advice would be appreciated

Depends on your earnings, do you qualify for CB or CTB?

You might qualify for child benefit. Also when on SMP your tax and NI go right down - I started getting tax back on my payslips as I'd overpaid earlier in the year.
Could you have a look at your outgoings and reduce them? That helped us a lot
And don't worry, babies are very cheap to start with, you really don't need the expensive stuff

You might be entitled to benefits, you can check online - try moneysavingexpert to find out how.

You can arrange to do some work whilst you're off. These are called Keep In Touch or KIT days that you agree with your employer. You can do 10 of these and not lose any SMP. This is basically doing some work at your usual daily rate.
I'm planning to do a couple of days a month for the last 5 months to top up my SMP

And you should get more than 220 per month, it's about 138 per week, child benefit is about 20 so 158 per week or thereabouts

Abbey I think the Op meant that after bills they'd have £220 a month for food etc.

KIT days aren't necessarily paid in the way you expect, mine are offset against SMP so not worth doing. www.maternityaction.org.uk/wp/advice-2/mums-dads-scenarios/pregnant/keeping-in-touch-days/ This explains things thoroughly.

Save as much as you can, cancel all direct debits you don't need and look at aldi or lidl for groceries / nappies / wipes.

Yes rudeawakening is right, this is what we will have left after all bills are paid etc. thanks for advising KIT days, never heard of these and will definitely enquire!

My partner is on 10,000 a year
And I am on 18,500 a year

Does this entitle me to anything does anyone know?

Oh right I see. I still think that'd be fine though. I hardly ever go out socialising now, so add that money back in. Most baby groups where I am are free or a few pounds - try the library and Sure Start children's centre. Nappies you can look for deals www.bumdeal.co.uk is great. Clothes - they don't need many and we got bought heaps. Even things like a cot are about 50 and you could buy bigger items like that whilst on full pay.
Hope that helps

Another option is shared parental leave as you're the higher earner perhaps your partner could take some of the leave? Its a personal decision but it's what we're doing after 6 months as I'm the higher earner

You will get child benefit and potentially child tax benefit, although not sure on this as we don't qualify. A quick Google should find out if you're entitled to anything else.

I do understand your worries, I'm only 10 weeks but every month I'm saving as much as possible but it still worries me.

Bear in mind that for the first six months the baby will only be drinking milk so will not be an extra mouth to feed, if you bf, it is free.

Babies don't have to be expensive. As long as they are warm and dry and fed and loved, they will be perfectly happy, they don't need expensive toys and swimming lessons etc.

When you go back to work you should be able to claim up to 175 per week against OFSTED approved childcare.

Entitledto.co.uk will help.

Whatabout that's not allowed. KIT days are in addition to SMP and paid at an agreed rate with your employer. You are not allowed to lose SMP for the first 10 of them.

^Where SMP/SAP/ShPP is offset against contractual pay for KIT/SPLIT days
If an employee earns £100 for a KIT/SPLIT day, she will be paid her full SMP/SAP/ShPP for that week as the flat rate of SMP/SAP/ShPP is more than £100. Her SMP/SAP/ShPP will be offset against the £100 earned, meaning that she will be paid £139.58 for the week. She will not be paid £100 as well as the SMP/SAP/ShPP for that week as her SMP/SAP/ShPP has been offset against the contractual pay.
If she works for three KIT/SPLIT days in the same week and earns £300 for the KIT/SPLIT days, she will be paid £300. Her SMP/SAP/ShPP of £139.58 is offset against the contractual pay paid to her for the same week so she does not receive both.^

This is from maternity action from March this year. You need to check with your employer if they offset it as you won't get what you expect. Mine do and so for me it really isn't worthwhile to work them.

I'm also the higher earner and not entitled to any mat pay so DH and I are sharing the parental leave.

In which case I'll be negotiating for daily rate on top of SMP. Thanks for the info.

It's a minefield and with nothing set in stone they really can shaft you. Glad it was helpful, I was worried I'd offended you.