Stay in low paid job for SMP or start new role?

[Babybelle81]

Hello!
Im new here and wanting some advice.
Currently in a part time job which pays terribly and have just got a new full time job remote! The part time job is in a school and they told me I have to give a whole terms notice. That’s fine, but will mean I’m going to be around 21 weeks pregnant starting the new job. This means I won’t get SMP and I’ll have to tell my new employer pretty sharpish.
What would you do? Stay in the part time job and get SMP on a very small salary, or move to the better paid job and get no SMP and rely on maternity allowance?
it’s so stressful!!!!

thanks in advance for any advice xx

Personally, I would go with the new job. It sounds like the maternity pay won’t be that different from the maternity allowance anyway.

Plus, it’s so hard to find a job these days, so I would take the new one.

Yeah I'd take the new one. Doesn't sound like you'll lose out on much having maternity allowance instead.

If the new job pays a lot more can you just save up the difference and use that to supplement the MA?

New job! It might be a struggle when on leave, but you’ll be setup for success with the benefits of remote working when you go back and have to deal with nursery drop offs/pick ups etc

Yes I would (this was my thought exactly) but by the time I start it in Jan I’ll be going off probably very soon especially if I’m early x

Thank you
I definitely agree with you!

Statutory mat pay is 6 weeks 90% your usual pre-tax pay (you are then taxed on that 90%), followed by just under £195 a week for 33 weeks. If you changed jobs you'd still be able to claim maternity allowance (you have to have worked so many weeks in any job in a certain timeframe which you will have if you've been employed up to now, whereas for statutory you need to be in your job before you are pregnant). Maternity allowance is just under £195 a week for 39 weeks.

If you don't earn very much anyway with your current employer you won't be much worse off as you wouldn't receive much more than the £195 ×6 at the beginning, you may even be better off if the new job pays better and you work there for 3 months before you go on mat leave.

You would be better to take the other job as you will be better off long term, plus you will be able to work further into your pregnancy if you are working remotely.

Thank you so much for taking the time to comment - really appreciate your advice x