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Original poster

Maternity Pay

106 replies

WilliamsJess · 20/09/2021 19:11

Hello - I’m wondering if anyone has any advice or perhaps is/has been in the same situation as me?

I am 20 weeks pregnant with my first baby, due in early February 2022. I informed my employer of this just after 12 weeks, and they were super excited for me, which was nice.

My employer is very good with many aspects of the job in terms of company benefits etc, for example paying everyone winter gas bill last year whilst we all work from home, bonuses and a generous salary, so I somewhat expected the Maternity Policy to be quite generous as well. Oh how wrong was I…. I have just been given the policy today, and it is literally the bare minimum. 6 weeks on 90% salary, and the rest SMP.

I have some savings, but not a lot and we still have a lot of baby stuff to buy. My partner is self employed and earns good money, about £45k.

It’s really unfortunate as we currently have a lot of outgoings: Mortgage, Household Bills, Car, Kitchen Repayments, my partners Tax Return etc.

My usual salary is 23k, and dropping down to SMP is going to be a massive struggle. I’m considering only taking 6 weeks maternity as I fear we won’t afford any longer than that, especially when SMP still has Tax, National Insurance (which is increasing, thanks Boris) and Pension contributions deducted. I’m lucky enough to have the option to work from home full time, and my partner does also so I feel like juggling work and the baby won’t be that much of a struggle. Hopefully. My company are also really flexible with working hours.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation? Am I entitled to any addition help such as Child Benefit, taking into consideration my partners income as well? I can’t really find any clear guidance on the internet… any advice would be greatly appreciated ❤️

OP posts:
RoseGoldGlasses · 20/09/2021 19:15

We've all been there op, you'll manage, you just find a way.
Everyone's different but physically and mentally I couldn't return after just 6 weeks. And even then there's no way I could have worked and looked after a newborn, it's hard as it is never mind worrying about work.
Everyone gets tax credit which is around £80 a month.

www.entitledto.co.uk

Use the above but giving salaries I don't think you'll get anything.

Isabellabasil · 20/09/2021 19:18

Hi OP. A very large proportion of employers only offer the statutory, I'm sorry yours is one of them. You will certainly be entitled to child benefit as the salary cap (for each individual, not combined) is £60K.

Purplesky739 · 20/09/2021 19:18

Yes but worse actually as my husband was on £27,000. I then got made redundant during mat leave (and we also had twins so couldn’t afford the child care anyway!) I managed to find an evening job when twins were around 8 months and we struggled through. We got child benefit but that’s all we qualified for.
About to go through it all again as I’m pregnant again (twins now 4) and my new company has the same policy.
I was aware of the maternity policy though before trying to get pregnant, had you not checked this before?

Isabellabasil · 20/09/2021 19:23

Oh and get all your baby stuff secondhand! It's better for the environment as well as cheaper

EmbarrassingMama · 20/09/2021 19:24

I’m probably well out but it sounds like you’re taking home about £1600pcm now, and that with SMP and child benefit you’ll be bringing home about £720 a month? I know £900 a month sounds like a massive hit now but if you can save hard for the next 4 months and make cut backs when baby arrives (some of which are easy since you’ll be doing loads less), you should find that you can stretch to a few months at least.

Taking 6 weeks off would have been so hard for me. I’m sure you can make it work.

LIZS · 20/09/2021 19:25

I suggest you rein in your living costs now, as near as your SMP income to save money and see how you can budget. SMP only is quite normal in many sectors.

LIZS · 20/09/2021 19:26

I don't think they can make deductions from SMP and your pension is put on hold.

Hardbackwriter · 20/09/2021 19:29

I’m lucky enough to have the option to work from home full time, and my partner does also so I feel like juggling work and the baby won’t be that much of a struggle. Hopefully.

Is your plan to not have childcare and just look after a 6 week old between you while also working? I think that's... optimistic. It might be ok, if you get a super easy one, but what's your plan if it's really not ok?

Original poster
WilliamsJess · 20/09/2021 19:33

@EmbarrassingMama

I’m probably well out but it sounds like you’re taking home about £1600pcm now, and that with SMP and child benefit you’ll be bringing home about £720 a month? I know £900 a month sounds like a massive hit now but if you can save hard for the next 4 months and make cut backs when baby arrives (some of which are easy since you’ll be doing loads less), you should find that you can stretch to a few months at least.

Taking 6 weeks off would have been so hard for me. I’m sure you can make it work.

You are close, I currently take home a NET of £1,550 taking into account Income Tax, NI and Pension Contribution. However with our current outgoings (Mortgage, Bills, Car, Kitchen Finance Repayments etc) I simply cannot afford to save as much as I would like. Typically we finish paying off our kitchen in May next year (3 months after the baby is due) which would allow me to save a further £300 a month.m, but I will already be on SMP by then.
OP posts:
Original poster
WilliamsJess · 20/09/2021 19:34

@Hardbackwriter

I’m lucky enough to have the option to work from home full time, and my partner does also so I feel like juggling work and the baby won’t be that much of a struggle. Hopefully.

Is your plan to not have childcare and just look after a 6 week old between you while also working? I think that's... optimistic. It might be ok, if you get a super easy one, but what's your plan if it's really not ok?

My partner works from home as well, even before Covid he worked from home. So I would have his help as well. I really don’t see what other option I have.
OP posts:
mynameiscalypso · 20/09/2021 19:36

@Hardbackwriter

I’m lucky enough to have the option to work from home full time, and my partner does also so I feel like juggling work and the baby won’t be that much of a struggle. Hopefully.

Is your plan to not have childcare and just look after a 6 week old between you while also working? I think that's... optimistic. It might be ok, if you get a super easy one, but what's your plan if it's really not ok?

Plus many employers don't allow you to WFH while caring for a child (Covid aside)
LIZS · 20/09/2021 19:38

Remember £45k is still well above the average household income. What does his income currently fund? The cost of dc should not just be seen as yours, but joint.

Hardbackwriter · 20/09/2021 19:39

How do you and your partner share finances? You say you could save £300 a month once the kitchen payments finish - what about him?

RightSaidPleb · 20/09/2021 19:39

OP to be really brutal, wfh with a 6 week old is simply not possible.

Most likely they'll only nap while being held, either be being fed, burped, rocked too sleep. I don't think I had two hands free at any time for the first 3 months.

Then the naps were only 40 mins (normal) and the rest of time your changing, feeding, doing tummy time etc.

Do you have any family that might pitch in with childcare?

I really wouldn't plan on doing this while you both work as I think you'll be in for a massive shock and then be caught short

The govt now do tax free child payments where for every £8 you pay towards childcare, they'll pay £2. This is capped at £2000 a year but is really helpful

SickAndTiredAgain · 20/09/2021 19:40

My partner works from home as well, even before Covid he worked from home. So I would have his help as well. I really don’t see what other option I have.

This is really not going to be possible

Original poster
WilliamsJess · 20/09/2021 19:41

@Hardbackwriter

How do you and your partner share finances? You say you could save £300 a month once the kitchen payments finish - what about him?
He is the same. We currently pay back £589 a month for our kitchen over 12 months (that’s the only repayment option we had without paying an insane amount of interest)
OP posts:
RedMarauder · 20/09/2021 19:43

I’m lucky enough to have the option to work from home full time, and my partner does also so I feel like juggling work and the baby won’t be that much of a struggle. Hopefully.

That is completely unrealistic even with an easy baby. The reason why you get maternity/parental leave is because babies are hard work. They eat, sleep and poo to their own schedule especially for the first 3 months.

You are better of taking a short maternity leave of 4-5 months then going back to work properly even if you go back to work part-time because of childcare costs.

Hardbackwriter · 20/09/2021 19:44

Do you split everything 50-50? Because that might have been fine up to now (I don't think it's great given he earns double what you do and you're a committed enough couple to be having a baby, but that's by the by) but it's not reasonable or fair when you're on maternity leave.

3cats4poniesandababy · 20/09/2021 19:45

Sorry to rain on your parade but I think you will need childcare.
I would suggest checking on having baby at home as many companies don't allow it. Juggling a baby and work would be near impossible for most people. My LO is now almost a year and I would say for the past 6 months it would have been impossible and near impossible before that. If it was do-able a lot of people would already do it.

Remember you will still probably have night feeds.

And that is before the mental and physical recovery side of having given birth.

I did a day recently of work and baby and OMG it was horrid I was not being good at either.

In the mean time I suggest looking at ways to save. Could you cut a bit on the weekly shop? Could you walk a bit more to save petrol?

Invisimamma · 20/09/2021 19:45

Working from home with a 6 week old baby and no childcare is a terrible idea - sorry. You may still have post-birth injuries/issues and won't be getting much sleep. My ds2 woke every 45mins for a while.

Most people save hard for mat leave. Save as much as you can now and make cut backs. Commuting costs, coffees, lunches etc. You won't have any of those costs on mat leave. See if you can take a mortgage holiday for a few months.

You and your partner both earn a good wage so really it should be possible. Even if you have left it a bit late to plan for.

How do you plan to pay for childcare when you return to work?

1990b · 20/09/2021 19:47

* I’m lucky enough to have the option to work from home full time, and my partner does also so I feel like juggling work and the baby won’t be that much of a struggle. Hopefully. My company are also really flexible with working hours.*

Its unlikely that your employer will allow you to take care of the baby at home and work from home at same time. This would be unfair and discrimination against those employees who don't have that option available to them.

Also, its very optimistic to say that it won't be much of a struggle babies are 24/7 so everything revolves around especially l found in the first 3 months. You also need to think about your own health and well being. Do you really want to go back to work so soon after your baby, you will need time to recover

ChewChewPanda · 20/09/2021 19:48

What were your thoughts on childcare before you found out about your maternity pay? Did you have a nursery or childminder or anything in mind? Any family who might help? I strongly agree with PPs that working from home with a baby is not doable for any length of time so if you are going to start working again you need to sort some childcare.

You do need to look at the finances alongside your partner’s wage - it’s not for you alone to fill this gap, it’s for both of you.

TakeYourFinalPosition · 20/09/2021 19:49

Yeah, sadly most companies won’t allow you to be looking after a baby and working at the same time, even with a partner home. Realistically one of you is going to need to be with the baby most of the time - you might get some times when you can both be working and nobody needs to be holding the baby or sleeping or whatever, but it’ll be few and far between.

Is there any chance of family childcare? Or part time work, and part time childcare?

I’m sorry your maternity pay isn’t what you thought it’d be… it sounds standard, but it must be disappointing. The first year or so are often a struggle.

You will get child benefit, and you might keep your bonuses depending on your contract, as well as things like tax free childcare, if your workplace offers that?

SickAndTiredAgain · 20/09/2021 19:53

Yeah, sadly most companies won’t allow you to be looking after a baby and working at the same time, even with a partner home.

I don’t think it’s sad, I think it’s sensible.

You will get child benefit, and you might keep your bonuses depending on your contract, as well as things like tax free childcare, if your workplace offers that?

Tax free childcare is available for everyone, not through work (I think you have to earn under £100k but anyone else can claim) but through the government website. It’s a big help to us OP.

1990b · 20/09/2021 19:54

@LIZS

I don't think they can make deductions from SMP and your pension is put on hold.
They can make deductions for pensions, they do from mine.

They can also deduct NI and tax which they do usually during the first 6 weeks when your getting paid at 90%

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