Maternity pay!

[Lauren84]

Sobi got a letter from work yesterday with an estimated gross pay salary for 9 months mat leave. Man it goes down low doesn't it??

I get 6 weeks 90% pay, then it goes down to 50% for 12 weeks then just SMP for the rest.

Do we get taxed on our SMP?? X

 

[Nat28]

I only get 6 weeks 90% then straight down to smp for rest of it! I was wandering if we got taxed!!

 

[NicNak1]

I get 8 weeks full pay and then straight onto SMP. I think we do get taxed on it xx

 

[Clairabelle]

I get 90% of my wage for 6 weeks then smp for the remainder. I'm hoping to take 12 months off so the last 3 months get nothing I'm pretty sure that you pay tax and NI as normal on smp but because it's such a low amount we get, the deductions shouldn't be too much xx

 

[sim1593]

Mine is similar, I am using holidays for the 1st 2 weeks so will get full pay for those, then 6 weeks at 90% then onto almost SMP, my boss has said I can have it made up to £200 per week instead of the £136 or whatever it is so not quite as bad a some but once tax etc is deducted it is still going to be loads less than normal.

 

[umbongo]

I get LESS than SMP for 9 months as only work part time so count yourself lucky!
Babies needn't be that expensive in the first year once you've bought all the basics. Esp if you breastfeed. And I'm using cloth nappies and reusable wipes so won't even have to buy them. Xx

 

[CARNAT22]

I am on basic SMP, so 6 weeks @ 90% then just the £134 a week.

I have checked my last few payslips and I haven't paid tax but I did some KIT days a few months back so my 'earnings' were higher and I paid a little tax.

This month is my last month until I go down to nothing.... scary!! It's hard enough to mange with SMP, let alone with nothing at all.

xxxxxx

 

[umbongo]

Yeah, when it goes to nothing will be terrifying! I can't afford childcare so we'll be managing on hubby's salary alone for a couple of years! Eeek!

 

[CARNAT22]

I earn more than OH so I have to go back, we're debating him taking a few months off though so he'll have bub. OH is self employed and is always less busy in winter, he has practically the whole of January off normally so unless a big project comes up he'll be a SAHD

xxxxx

 

[littlemonkey]

I get LESS than SMP for 9 months as only work part time so count yourself lucky!
Babies needn't be that expensive in the first year once you've bought all the basics. Esp if you breastfeed. And I'm using cloth nappies and reusable wipes so won't even have to buy them. Xx

Unless you have a child like mine that grows like a weed and decides to outgrow everything that should've lasted him a year by 3 and a half months! He'll be wearing a sack with a rope by the time he's a year at this rate!

 

[k8_005]

Its hard I have been used to a good salary earning more than hubby and I get 14 weeks full pay then smp till 9months and last 3 months unpaid. Smp is hard but that said it's better than nothing eh?! I think u soon realise where you "waste" money and start being more thrifty too x

 

[glowing]

I am quite fortunate I will have 8 weeks full pay, weeks 9-26 (18 weeks) half pay + SMP, weeks 27-39 just SMP so manageable think I can only afford the 9 months off but will have accrued a lot of annual leave 7 weeks and 3 days I can take over and use plus my normal entitlement of the year of 8 weeks plus 2 days.

 

[katyloumc]

Mine is the same glowing, do you work for the nhs or public sector? Quite lucky really I didn't realise some of you only got 6 weeks @ 90% then smp, I'd really struggle! Why should we be penalised for taking time off haha we can't help having babies!

 

[Katied1]

I thought it was taxed so take home was about £125 a week?

 

[AmyA]

SMP will probably take you below the tax earnings threshold so you won't pay tax, if anything for the first few months you may get a little rebate. If you work KIT days this will obviously push your earnings back up and you will pay tax. You will continue to pay NI throughout but it will be minimal. X

 

[giz]

I thought it was taxed so take home was about £125 a week?

It will depend on what you've earnt so far this year won't it?

I wasn't taxed at all last time because by the time the smp started it was a new tax year. Then when I went back to work on a full time wage in the January, I took home more pay than I normally would have done because I wasn't being taxed as much as normal as I hadn't exceeded my tax allowance by then. Was a nice surprise.

----------------
baby giz born 6th Feb 2011
next one due 12th Aug 2013

 

[Lauren84]

Thanks for your feedback girls. For some reason thought I was the only I one!! Lol

When you see it black and white though its just like 'arrghhhh how am I going to live on that' haha xx

 

[Positive37]

I made big . sacrifice last year I resigned in August from a very well paid job in London due to long hours and stress but we did our ivf and moo is on her way.best decision I made.we lived on bf salary for 6 months I didnt buy clothes and if I did they were from second hand shops.
We cut back massively. Bf earns well but it was all on his back so I now shop in aldi and morrisons and learnt to be tight! !!

I have worked for 23 yrs in city wnd although been temping since feb I will only get government maternity pay..we will manage we have to im taking a year off too.ive waited so long to be a mummy. ....I am happy to go without .happiness comes first.
I defo dont think we get taxed I am expecting around £520 a month.....

 

[mrswoody]

Yep you will get taxed on smp, I certainly have and pay NI as well.

It does give you a shock but you can manage on it you have to. Oh and I have just tightened the belt and if we don't need it we don't big it simple as that.

I got 6 months full pay then 13 weeks smp, I take my accrued leave at the end of the 13 weeks which goes back to full pay x