Returning to work after maternity impossible

Andrea1589

I am at my wits end. I have recently had a new baby and am desperate to return to work. I was earning 330 a week before maternity i am now earning 140 pw smp. Having spoke to tax credits i have learned by going back to work i would get 25 pw childcare help for a 165 pw bill plus my tax credits will drop by 40 pw. It basically means by going back to work 40 hours to my original job i would be 10 pound a week better off. I dont understand this. They are making it impossible for me to return to work and having worked all my life this is really taking a toll on my mental state. If anyone can offer advice or anyone in a simaler situation can advise that would be greatly appreciated.

Brighty

Did you not plan for this before before getting pregnant?
Once your SMP stops and you're not entitled to any other out of work benefit, the difference between working or not will increase from £10 to £150

Andrea1589

No it was not a planned pregnancy haha but these things happen. I was hoping to return to work sooner than waiting for my leave to end

t0rt0ise

When I was a lone parent I had the attitude that working, even if earning no more than I would have got if staying at home, was an investment in the future. I worked for some years as a Classroom Assistant. I enjoyed the work and when I was ready for full-time work it helped me gain it. It also gave my children the idea that working was the norm and neither of them have ever been out of work. So £10 a week may be worth it in the long run.

TELLIT01

I'm sorry but I don't see how anybody is making it impossible for you to return to work. You will be in the same financial position as you were before the baby. Are you saying that the state should pay you extra because you have had a child?

Darksparkle

In an ideal world we'd all plan to have children and have plenty of time to plan financially. Unfortunately it's not always the case.

Is £330 per week before or after tax? Do you have a partner? If so what hours do they work and what do they earn?

I'd single, have you considered returning to work part time? So single parents find this works out better financially.

However I don't see what's impossible about it.

xylophone

Even if you were only £10 a week better off that is still "better off"?

How is this making it impossible to return to work?

PasturesNew

They're giving you free money to chase your dream life ... and you're disgruntled? Benefits are fairly new in the UK, mostly since about WW2.

If you want to go back to work, do so. They give you a handy little extra if that's what you choose to do.

If you don't want to go back, then don't.

Kayalana99

Andrea1589 wrote: »

I am at my wits end. I have recently had a new baby and am desperate to return to work. I was earning 330 a week before maternity i am now earning 140 pw smp. Having spoke to tax credits i have learned by going back to work i would get 25 pw childcare help for a 165 pw bill plus my tax credits will drop by 40 pw. It basically means by going back to work 40 hours to my original job i would be 10 pound a week better off. I dont understand this. They are making it impossible for me to return to work and having worked all my life this is really taking a toll on my mental state. If anyone can offer advice or anyone in a simaler situation can advise that would be greatly appreciated.

Unf this is part and parcel of having kids, it's not really up to the government to provide for your children. They support you for the bare minimum, but luxuries will be a thing of the past unless you can earn enough to cover your bills/childcare etc.

Personally, I found it best to work from home. It kept me sane, Husband had a full-time wage coming in to be fair, but it wasn't worth returning to work as even a few hundred from my business was more then what I would get working full-time with two young ones in child care...youngest gets the 30 free hours now and I work evenings. If you are going to be £10 better off (and literally, take into account transport and work clothes costs etc) I'd still go back and look for something else that pays more in long run.

Kayalana99

xylophone wrote: »

Even if you were only £10 a week better off that is still "better off"?

How is this making it impossible to return to work?

I think her point is they are making it not worth it. Since they give you £x amount to sit on her bum, really you'd think they would make it in favour for people to go to work. I appreciate this sort-of counters what I just said in a way, but the government aren't really helping Mother's back into work since they just pay them to stay at home the same as they would at work pratically.

Kayalana99

TELLIT01 wrote: »

I'm sorry but I don't see how anybody is making it impossible for you to return to work. You will be in the same financial position as you were before the baby. Are you saying that the state should pay you extra because you have had a child?

Your confused here, she would be in a substantial worse position then before she had the baby, but not much better off then what she is now if she returned to work rather then stayed at home.