How much do you get for Maternity wage?

Catty89

Hello, i am currently pregnant and just looking for a bit of information.

I was just looking at what sort of maternity pay people have been given, is it normal to only receive the basic amount? I dont want to ask my work as i dont want them to know until around December.

Im just trying to figure out what sort of money we will have and how much we will have to save to subsidise my lower wage.

Also im aware we will get child benefits about £20per week is this right?

I dont think there will be anything else we are entitled too as our joint salary is £33,000

Thanks for the help!

onlyroz

On every company I have worked for the maternity policy is published on the intranet, so you might be able to find out without specifically asking about it.

Companies vary widely in what they pay. Some will give you the bare minimum whereas others will give you full pay for a year.

Can't you make a general enquiry with HR without telling your line-manager?

Any

Don't you have company handbook? Or as said access to intranet? You shouldn't need to ask to find out..
All the companies I worked for paid only the statutory minimum..but don't forget you also still earn holidays so you can 'cash' them in the end (have holidays at full pay instead of maternity leave) if company allows and when you get just SMP it's not enough to pay tax so if you didn't earn that much before it might not be that big difference in nett pay.

Catty89

I have checked online but it only takes me to the companies main page which doesnt have anything to do with staff on it, its quite a small company (30ish) and no HR department as such just an office manager who also does HR.

Hmm there was a girl that left a few weeks ago for maternity leave i could maybe ask her....

fawd1

Also be aware that during the time that you're getting SMP, you won't have a 33k salary, so ask about tax credits during that time, just remember to let them know once you go back to full time work and let them new wages, plus childcare costs.

Triangle

fawd1 wrote: »

Also be aware that during the time that you're getting SMP, you won't have a 33k salary, so ask about tax credits during that time, just remember to let them know once you go back to full time work and let them new wages, plus childcare costs.

I thought we would be eligible for CTC because of this but they said no as they base it on the last tax year's income.

ClareEmily

I got nothing extra from my company so was on £25k, SMP was 90% of my salary for 6 weeks then approx £500 per month up to 9 months, you can take up to a year off but last 3 months won't be paid.

I was scared about the pay drop first of all but you won't be spending money on petrol, lunches out, or basically anything on yourself for a while, and you will be hopefully be given lots of things for the baby.

My child is now 2 and I didn't go back so survive on my hubby's self employed wages which are pitiful, working tax credits, and child benefit.

Looking for work now.

Bamama

You may be able to get Child Tax Benefit while you are on maternity leave. You will have to request they look at your current earnings as it is usually based on last years. If you are planning to return to work but at reduced hours you may be able to get some Working Tax Credit (including help towards childcare).

I'm only going to be getting SMP as I am the only employee at my company.

If you haven't already then pop onto one of the pregnancy boards... they are swt up into groups of certain length pregnancies, so we're all goin through the same things at the same time.

fawd1

Triangle wrote: »

I thought we would be eligible for CTC because of this but they said no as they base it on the last tax year's income.

They do, unless they're is a drop of more than 10k, which I would assume there would be on just statutory smp

kettlefish

It's actually only a drop of £2500 from the previous year's income and they will base on the current year. You can give them your projected income for the tax year 2013/14 at the point you go off on maternity leave - they add £2500 on to it and use that figure in their calculations. Hope that makes sense (tax credits sytem v confusing but the staff are incredibly helpful)

elliegibbo

I am still on maternity leave (due back at work in 4 weeks).
I got 90% of my wage for the first 6 weeks and then SMP of £135 a week for the remainder of the 9 months. You can take a further 3 months off but this is unpaid.
As others have said, you still earn holidays whilst on Mat Leave and will get your normal wage for these