how do ppl survive on maternity pay in northern ireland

Artofdookie

CL wrote: »

Just to dwell on the teachers pay for a moment. I work 37.5 hours per week and have 25 days annual leave and 9 statutory holidays. If you consider that teachers work late (4.30pm) on 3 days per week, with their holidays they work 60% of the hours I do. A teacher with 7 years experience and no extra promotional points for experience, extra qualificaions, etc. earns over £30k per year (at 29 years old). If this is pro-rata as claimed by a previous post, a teacher would be paid £50k per annum to work full time.

Am I the only person who finds this excessive?

Sorry for the rant.

My Mrs is a Primary Teacher, she works 8am-4.30pm every day plus at least 2 hours most nights. This is her 4th year and she earn's just over 24k. Someone up above mentioned Baker Days, its only the kids are off those days. Teachers are in a normal day doing training.

wifeforlife

Anyway back to Maternity - I just received my £190 grant, seemingly to eat healthy - this doesn't seem to be means tested and was a shock to be told about it. It's only 6 years from my DD was born but a big change in how things are being looked at for maternity and paternity.

I do hope they allow men to take paternity and the lady to return to work- I'd like to split the time off with my OH

snowmen

cathy2702 wrote: »

I just received my £190 grant, seemingly to eat healthy - this doesn't seem to be means tested and was a shock to be told about it.

We had our baby 6 months ago and got the non-means tested £190 "health in pregnancy" grant too.
dont get me wrong we were glad of it and used the money wisely etc but I couldnt help thinking what a pointless grant it was as we received ours on my wife's due date even though the grant is meant for eating healthily during pregnancy!!!

Snoozle

I found it wasn't such a struggle to survive on SMP as I had thought it might be. It was a huge drop in comparison to the salary I was used to, but then I saved hundreds of pounds a month by not commuting to work, and its amazing how your priorities change when you have a baby anyway - things that you might have thought essential no longer are. My husband earns a decent salary, but not a huge one, so there have been sacrifices, plenty of them, but thats parenthood for you!

missma

Thanks all. I suppose cost of living is high at moment. I know would be able to make some cuts but suppose just worry about being able to pay the mortgage and essentials. How much is SMP? I take it occupational maternity pay is the 90% for 6 weeks etc

CL

Statutory Maternity pay is 90% of your average gross weekly earnings for the first 6 weeks, then £123.06 or 90% of your average gross weekly earnings (whichever is lower) for the next 33 weeks.

You accrue all your holidays on maternity leave so can add them on to the end of you maternity leave and have 4 weeks off with full pay, or use them to return to work part-time, but on full pay, for a few months.

missma

Thanks CL £123 pound a week would not pay many bills lol.
I may start saving lol

choccybuttons

Hi

You can get tax credits estimated for your current year instead of the previous year if your going to have a big wage drop. I.e. working you might earn 20k normally, on maternity for a year, you might receive 11k therefor get tax credit payments for the low wage - around 200+ a month. You have to estimate what my wages would be for the year so there is a risk of overpayment if you estimate too low. Plus it helps if you can save some money before getting preggers and during the pregnancy to cover any short fall in wages. Then you could also ask the mortgage company for a holiday or only pay the interest for a few months.

There is also the sure start grant for people on certain tax credits (which you get if you have low wage estmated due to poor maternity pay)

dianeio

I recently started my maternity leave (baby came early). My work only pay 90% wage for 6 weeks then I get SMP £123. When I was pregnant I paid off all the big bills, rates, insurance etc, with a plan of only taking 6 months off. My boyfriend only works 28 hours a week basic wage (we have the usual bills and mortgage etc), things are tight. We take each month as it comes, if things get too tight financially I'll go back to work early (not ideal as I am breastfeeding).

Its all very exciting having a baby - and I know women that have taken the hubby off to well known baby stores - a few hours later their out a grand or so.

We invested in reusable cloth nappies and breastmilk is free. I stayed away from the mamas and papas stores of this world and bought only what was needed - carseat new, pram used, cot from Ikea plus friends and family are very generous, and people lend you cots cribs etc. You just manage because you have too. No point in thinking about others maternity pay as some women will have better options others don't, what can you really do about it?

leftieM

dianeio wrote: »

I recently started my maternity leave (baby came early). My work only pay 90% wage for 6 weeks then I get SMP £123. When I was pregnant I paid off all the big bills, rates, insurance etc, with a plan of only taking 6 months off. My boyfriend only works 28 hours a week basic wage (we have the usual bills and mortgage etc), things are tight. We take each month as it comes, if things get too tight financially I'll go back to work early (not ideal as I am breastfeeding).

Its all very exciting having a baby - and I know women that have taken the hubby off to well known baby stores - a few hours later their out a grand or so.

We invested in reusable cloth nappies and breastmilk is free. I stayed away from the mamas and papas stores of this world and bought only what was needed - carseat new, pram used, cot from Ikea plus friends and family are very generous, and people lend you cots cribs etc. You just manage because you have too. No point in thinking about others maternity pay as some women will have better options others don't, what can you really do about it?

Well said. One thing's for sure - the baby doesn't give a hoot whether you push it around in a bugaboo or a shopping trolley nicked from Tesco (or Sainbury's if you're posh).