Stat maternity pay

[NB16]

Bit worried about finances going off on maternity leave. I will only be getting SMP. However, I do have a good build up of savings which I do not touch unless I have to. Thinking of using savings to pay for bills and live off SMP. There also KIT days and I will be going off in April when annual leave actually starts so I will have loads of leave to use by time I go back. Would anyone have any advice? I actually earn more than my husband.

It is hard. My DH paid for the mortgage once I was on stat mat leave, and I then paid for my share of bills from savings plus general living. Baby groups and food shopping etc.

I used kit days. I also gave DH 6 weeks of pay/leave by switching to shared parental leave after 5 months of ML. The positive to ShPL is on the shared leave you have 20 SPLIT days (Same as KIT days but you only get 10 kit days).

You could extend your leave at the end by putting all your annual leave there so it’s not unpaid?

I spread my AL at the end so I was back two days a week as a gradual return. Work agreed to it.

That’s not too bad. I only started a new job 10 months ago otherwise I would have got some enhanced pay if I had have been there over 2 years. I’m just glad we both have savings otherwise I don’t know what we would do as my husbands pay wouldn’t cover everything. At least we will get the child benefit £20 a week which isn’t much but least it’s something.

I was thinking of going back in December but by going back I mean using my annual leave as January will be a tough month. Means I won’t actually go back till mid January. I’ll have 5 weeks annual leave including my stay days. My work would let me do that