Only 6 months of paid maternity leave... seems so little!

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I'm in the UK. My work only offers 26 weeks paid leave and an additional 26 weeks unpaid. I feel I'm going to have to go to work at the 26 weeks due to income but it feels such a short time to have with my baby... I also plan on breast feeding so how is that going to work out? I'm also not sure if I'll be able to afford childcare if I go back to work part-time? It seems so expensive and that all of my income will just go on that which seems pointless...

My husband has a 28k salary and mine currently is about 13k. Our rent is a lot at £1150 plus other bills so don't think we could managed on just his income alone.

Sorry if this is rambling but there's a lot going on in my head!

Is that enhanced maternity pay.

So full pay for 6 months.

You get smp for 39 weeks (I think) so you will get something between 26 and 39. That comes from the government.

6 months full pay is very generous in the UK.

It's not full pay, just SMP for 6 months.

SMP in the UK is paid for 9 months, is there a reason you're only eligible for 6 months?

You should get 39 weeks (9 months) SMP - that's the law, not something your company can decide on.

That's not right. SMP is 6 weeks 90% of salary then 39 weeks at whatever the weekly smp rate is now. Basically 9 months of pay.

Yes, that's usually the deal with all of them. That's actually really good, full pay for 6 months, a lot of places are 4. Did you think an employer is going to pay 12 full months at full pay? You need to plan before getting pregnant how to make it work.

There are no more tax credits before someone jumps in and suggests those, and on that salary you won't be eligible for Universal Credit.

Start considering how to make it work because that's reality. Most places are 4-6 months on full pay and then SMP. Some will let you use annual leave to add on a few weeks.

My h and I worked opposing shifts for years to avoid childcare costs.

I expressed at work and then fed at home.

The SMP Isn't much but something.

Just confirming what everyone else has said - basic smp is 6 weeks at 90% and 39 weeks at around £140

Also check your work contract carefully. In some places, you must return to work for them for a certain number of months following having been paid full pay by them or you have to pay some back.

@euromillionswinner what do you mean there are no more tax credits?

That's actually amazing. I get 6 weeks 90% pay and that's it. I'm really going to struggle

@EuroMillionsWinner no... if you read the thread, I've already said it's SMP, not full pay for 6 months. Obviously not expecting full pay for 6 months at all.

I've just read through my handbook again and it does say 26 weeks of SMP and then 26 weeks of additional mat leave with the exception of pay... I definitely think I'll have to get this cleared up with my boss as it's a bit confusing!

Tax credits are a legacy benefit, Del. All new claims are now Universal Credit. And even if you are on tax credits, they will be phased out between now and 2024 (if you have a triggering event, however, you will be moved onto UC before that). So there's no more 'get tax credits', it's UC for all new applicants.

No, it is 6 weeks at 90% of average pay and 33 weeks at lower rate SMP 148.68

Total 39 weeks

HMRC Statutory Maternity Leave

Again just to add: They're not paying me full pay for 6 months! Just SMP and then nothing for additional mat leave.

Are you getting confused with 'ordinary maternity leave' and 'additional maternity leave'? They don't relate to pay, but rather if you return after six months they have to give you the same job back, after that they have to give you a job at the same level but doesn't have to be the same.

As everyone else has mentioned you have a statutory right to SMP, which is 90% for six weeks then £150ish a week for the remaining 33 weeks (39 weeks total). The remaining 13 weeks are unpaid.

I'm guessing the pregnancy wasn't planned if you're surprised by a this - don't worry, you can do this. Go to www.entitledto.co.uk and see what benefits you'll get, you should get some Universal Credit, and you'll definitely get Child Benefit.

Go on Ebay and search for baby clothing bundles, go on Gumtree/Facebook for a cot/pushchair, you can get everything second hand for very little money, some for free.

Good luck!

they don't get to decide you only have 6 months SMP, it's the law to have 90% of your income for 6 weeks and then 33 weeks SMP. have you asked them why they say you're only allowed 6 months?

It's 26 weeks ordinary maternity leave and 26 weeks additional maternity leave. But it's 6 weeks at 90% pay and then 33 weeks at SMP level at a minimum.

You need to speak to your boss because the SMP rates as above posters have said are a legal requirements your boss can’t say they will only give 26 weeks!

Yes I suspect you’re getting muddled between ‘statutory maternity leave’ and ‘statutory maternity pay’. Either that or they’re very poorly informed.

Are you sure it doesnt say 26 weeks ordinary maternity leave and a further 26 weeks extended maternity? You are still entitled to 39 weeks smp

www.gov.uk/employers-maternity-pay-leave

Before I had my baby I earned £12.5k as an administrator. To put my baby in full time nursery would have cost us £11.5k. We decided it was pointless me going back to work to make us £1k per year. So I'll go back to work when my youngest starts school. I would start looking into child care and how much it costs now if I were you. Your partners high salary means you probably won't get any benefits.

@Pilot12 £28,000 isn’t a high salary?

As others have said, you seem to be confusing statutory leave with statutory pay, they’re not the same thing. It is a bit confusing for no good reason though. You’ll get SMP - 6 weeks of 90% pay and then 33 weeks of statutory pay. It’s £147 ish a week.

You are getting confused between leave and pay. Leave is 26 weeks ordinary and 26 weeks additional. Pay is 6 weeks at 90% and 33 weeks SMP = 39 weeks. The rest is unpaid

That's really generous!

I don't get any full pay - 6 wks at 90% and 12 weeks at 50% - I'm also the main earner!