No maternity leave

[GC2023]

Hi
I have just started a new job and also found out I am pregnant. After years of fertility issues and loss this was a huge unexpected and very welcome surprise.

However it also means that based on dates I am not going to be eligible for enhanced maternity leave nor SMP. Nothing.

I am the breadwinner, we don't have significant savings due to recent life events and I'm terrified that I will have to go back to work almost immediately after the baby is born.

Has anyone been in this position? What did you do? How do you manage returning after just a few weeks of leave?

How pregnant are you? What’s stopping your partner from earning more throughout the pregnancy and after? It shouldn’t all be on you.

I went back when DS was 8weeks. I began on one day per week and built it up.

I'm 16 weeks. My partner is working but I'm not sure how he can earn more in this time other than a second job?

I think you'd still be eligible for maternity allowance - less than SMP but not zero

www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance

You will be able to claim maternity allowance. I think that’s done through the job centre. You have to have a minimum of 2 weeks off after giving birth. Your employer may be able to sort something extra e.g. taking any holidays, but you’d need to speak to them.

Depending on what your partner earns, you might be able to claim universal credit.

If you need the money he might have to get a second job.

OP, I’d aim to take 3months off as a minimum in your position. 2 weeks may be the legal minimum but you absolutely need time to recover from the birth and be with your newborn for a while. At 3 months it’s more realistic that you will find a childcare setting willing to take your baby on and that you will cope with the separation.

Your best bet might be to be a brilliant employee through your pregnancy and see if your employer will agree to take you back after a break for you to recover from birth and bond with baby etc - six months maybe? If you're upfront and reliable then they might agree to something that would reduce disruption for them.

We take it as the norm that mat leave is 9-12 months but in US it's the norm to have much less time off, which might not be what you want but it shows it is survivable if you're determined!

Money wise, if you're prepared to have secondhand stuff then you can provide for a baby on a shoestring really. I got loads of really good stuff secondhand for peanuts. The only thing that should be new is sleeping surface like mattress but cot, pram, clothes etc could all be second hand. I know with new babies you want pristine things but really, they only vom and poop on them, they don't stay pristine for long!

If you really need cash to bridge you over, do you own your home and could you remortgage a bit to free up cash? Or take out a sensible loan and have a plan of how to pay it back?

Congratulations!

Maternity allowance is only less for the first 6 weeks. After that it is the same as SMP. If you were working before you became pregnant, you should qualify.

Then he should get a second job, even if it’s only temporary until the end of your pregnancy so that you can save up to cover some of your maternity leave.

If you were working before can you get maternity allowance? Also, have you actually talked to your employer? I have genuinely been in the position where I wasn’t entitled to maternity pay or maternity allowance but I worked for a large company that was keen to have me return so whilst I was expecting to negotiate with them, they straight up offered me 6 months off at full pay.

Your best bet might be to be a brilliant employee through your pregnancy and see if your employer will agree to take you back after a break for you to recover from birth and bond with baby etc - six months maybe? If you're upfront and reliable then they might agree to something that would reduce disruption for them.

OP is still entitled to maternity leave, and as part of that she is entitled to her job back after maternity leave. It's not up to her employer to agree that she can take maternity leave.

If you do find you have to go back to work quickly, I went back at 6 weeks with my first, 3 months with my 2nd and 4 weeks with my 3rd.

Not ideal but I was/am main or sole breadwinner so needs must.

My DCs are now adults and have survived this 'traumatic' experience.

Why are you not entitled to SMP? Ideally you and partner save as much as possible in advance, get a basic amount in either SMP or maternity allowance and top up from what you have saved?