Maternity Pay...Help!

[Pudds86]

Hello,

I want to sit down with DH and work out our finances for the coming year. I have been looking into what we are entitled and I am more than a little bit confuzzled!

I REALLY would like to hear from someone in the same situation as us so they know exactly what I will receive! Both me and DH work full time, have been employed in same position for over 2 years. We rent (paid monthly) and our total household income is around £40,000.

What would we be entitled to in regards to SMP, help with rent (if any), childcare?

Thanks ladies!!!!

xx

 

[Katy_89]

You'd get SMP, no help with rent I don't think if your OH is working full time, childcare is done through tax credits, I think they pay up to 80% of childcare costs. More info can be found on tax credits by googling. Also, you can use a website called entitledto.co.uk (i think) to work out roughly what you would get based on your income xx

 

[Pudds86]

I have gone on that website, and I feel even more confused! lol. It's hard to fill it out fully as I dont have all the information and no child yet Has anyone been in my situation when they have fallen pregnant and know what help we would get?!

x

 

[laura dec 1988]

Iv been askin this too hun as i feel a bit lost with regards to benefit entitlement. I have been on countless sights and i gave up. Im just gunna wait till i can fone the benefit office and inform them.

its soooooo confusing but if u find anything useful please post bk and i will to

xx

 

[Pudds86]

The only real reason I want to know so early is that we can look at cutting out our luxuries... we also need to look into moving next year (if we conceive) as baby will need own room eventually and really we need to know where we stand with the help we will receive!

Frustrates me soooo much that other family member havent a care in the world about falling pregnant as they are already receiving help from the government, but because we both work and pay our way it is beginning to look like we will receive LESS help. soooooo bloody backwards! Grr

x

 

[Mervs Mum]

you need to talk to your HR dept about your company's maternity benefits. You will be at least entitled to SMP but maybe more. Your hubby will be entitled to a minimum of 2 weeks paternity and some companies will give you this on full pay.

Regarding benefits, you'll get child benefit (not means tested currently £20 for the first child and £13.40 for any subsequent children) and you may get some tax credits.

The tax credits part if the bit that's hard to work out. I havent found the online calculators to be very reliable. Personally we've just took it that we wont get anything extra and when we apply (you cant do any of this in advance or get a 'quote' to get an idea) if we get something we just saw it as a bonus.

We are all entitled to a Health in Pregnancy grant (£190) and some will be entitled to the Surestart grant (means tested) which is £500. We have quite a high income so I dont think we will get it but we will apply after the baby is born to have a better chance of qualifying - I'd say that might be a better idea with your income as it stands. If you are going back to work though it might not make a difference waiting to apply. I'm giving up work so obviously our income wont look as healthy once the baby is here and my maternity pay is finished

 

[laura dec 1988]

i know what you mean pudds. my opinion is the same hun xx

 

[Pudds86]

Thank you! It's all so confusing! SMP isnt nearly what your normal income though is it! I don't know how people do it... I know it would all work out when bubba was here... but its a scary thought!!

 

[laura dec 1988]

I think maternity pay is something like £120 a week. Although thats anouther thing i need to look into. but no its nowere near your normal income hun xx

 

[Mervs Mum]

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTa...ort/Expectingorbringingupchildren/DG_10018741


SMP is £123 a week.

If you qualify for SMP, it is paid:

• for the first six weeks at 90 per cent of your average gross weekly earnings with no upper limit
• for the remaining 33 weeks at the lower of either the standard rate of £123.06, or 90 per cent of your average gross weekly earnings

So I got 6 weeks on 90% of my usual pay then my EXTRA benefit ie the one my employer gives me over and above, was half pay plus SMP totalling a maximum of 90% of my regular pay. so that meant I got 26 weeks of the 33 on 90% pay then I dropped to SMP only for the last 9 wks.

 

[Katy_89]

I agree with you about the lack of help for those who work. It sucks.

Tax credits are also really complicated to try and work out xx

 

[laura dec 1988]

Thats really good. My boss said i get full pay for the 1st 12 weeks and then drop to smp for the remainder. But its still one of the million things i need to look into and speak to my boss about in depth... xx

 

[Pudds86]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH... that kind of helps! So you got SMP from day 1 with the gov, plus your maternity benefit from your ER? I thought you only got one or the other. So if i contact HR, they can tell me if I get anything from them...I feel like a right dunce when it comes to this! xx

 

[Mervs Mum]

Yep. SMP runs along side your employers 'over and above' benefits. HR will be able to tell you.

 

[laura dec 1988]

mervs mum, can i ask ya summit, cause you seem to know a lot on this and its helping so thanks

All the benefits that i'm entitled to, can they only be claimed from the date of the birth and on wards or can i apply for them before?

xx

 

[Mervs Mum]

The HIP can be done from 25 wks and the Surestart can be done from 29 weeks. Tax credits cant be done in advance and SMP is done through your employer and you just have to agree a start date for your maternity leave for that - they usually expect 8 weeks notice, but that varies by employer so do check. Child Benefit is done once the baby is born.

Most things are after the baby is born because sadly not all mums who are pregnant will end up being eligible IYKWIM.

 

[laura dec 1988]

This sounds sooooo silly....whats

 

[laura dec 1988]

whats hip hun xx

 

[Mervs Mum]

Health in pregnancy grant

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTa...ngupchildren/HealthinPregnancyGrant/DG_173502

 

[laura dec 1988]

what is the health in pregnancy grant....im so new to all this xx