Leaving work to be stay at home mom..

[happybeany]

In the UK, if you have been working up until the month before you are due to give birth, then leave permanently to be a stay at home mom...

What benefits are you entitled to?! How much would it work out at?

I trying to work this out, want to be pretty honest with work about my intentions but too scared to say anything!

xxx

 

[RainbowGift]

Sorry, I'm in the US... But congratulations! xoxo

 

[Gemie]

Try the benefits adviser hunni, it's a bit long answering the questions but it's very good to give you an idea of what you're entitled to. x

https://www.direct.gov.uk/en/diol1/doitonline/doitonlinebycategory/dg_172666

 

[MeggyMoo87]

I think you'll get income support, child benefit, child tax credits, and using benefit in some circumstances x

 

[Twinminator]

I think it can depend on NICs you've paid, and certainly your partner's income, savings, etc... It's not the same for every household. It's definitely harder now that Labour's out and Conservatives are totally trying to tighten the benefits-belt so to speak... xx

 

[KandyKinz]

Hmmmmmm I'm in Canada so things are likely to be different... But here regardless of whether you intend to go back or not you're entitled to receive maternity benefits through the government.

And congrats on your decision! It's nice to know that I'm not the only one who chose full time mommyhood over her career.

 

[Amygdala]

You're entitled to maternity leave and then you can decide whether to go back or not at the end of it. I think it's commendable that you want to be honest with them but if you quit, you won't get any maternity pay. This wouldn't be fair on you or your child so I would strongly suggest to go on maternity leave and then tell them you're not coming back at the end. If you want them to be prepared you can always tell them you're not sure whether you're coming back, I don't think they're allowed to fire you while on maternity leave.

 

[happybeany]

Thanks, it's all really confusing trying to work it all out! I just need to know that we're going to be able to afford to look after our baby in the right way xx

 

[xlivix]

Hey...
i wont be returning back to work after maternity, (my daughter is now 6 months) im lucky that my dp has a good job so is able to support us... its a learning process, so we dont really know how its going to work out, and also if we are entitled to anything, but we will work that out nearer the time, i think its the diret gov website that you can get all your info from.... i feel so lucky as not many mums are able to stay off and look after their own children, i think they should make it easier for mums tbh, i work in a nursery. and the last thing i wanted to do was send her to one... good luck xxx (also pregnant with baby number 2 so really would have been no point me going back to work haha)

 

[xlivix]

also just be honest with your job, ive written my notice already and just said that i feel at this time that its best for me to be at home with my daughter... xx

 

[My_First]

but if you quit, you won't get any maternity pay.

Thats not strictly true. She will still be able to claim stautary maternity pay from the Government.

 

[Shrimpy]

Like others have said it all depends on your household income/circumstances etc. With my last daughter I decided to not go back to the job I had before falling pregnant and didn't get penalised ffrom that job for not returning. I had no intention of going back as it was an awful atmosphere but I didn't tell them this until the month before I was due to go back. Because I had fufilled my obligation by letter them know 30 days prior to my "return" date they didn't want any of my mat pay back and I received full holiday pay that I had accrued whilst being off on mat leave. I did however get a new job at that time (April 2009); however in Feb this year I decided to give up work all together as it was just causing too much faffing about in ferrying the kids about etc and we figured out I was basically working to be able to afford 2 cars which is crazy. We got rid of hubbys car and kept mine (newer and cheaper to run) which saved a HUGE amount making it very feesable for me not to have to work. In regards to what I was entitled to, to be honest not a huge amount more. Child benefit is the same for everyone so that stayed the same, my child tax credits increased from £15 per week to £35 per week but that's it (I have 2 kids aged 4 and 2). I wasn't entitled to anything else as hubby earns a pretty decent wage. I am so glad I left work and would do it again in a heartbeat. We don't have a flash car and can't really afford a holiday every year but we live comfortably and are happy and not stressed anymore and enjoy our family time together now

Have a look through your bills and see if there's anything you can cut back on, or if you have debts see if you can maybe pay 1 or 2 off whilst you're still working which would obviously leave you with a little extra every month.

best of luck

 

[PeanutBean]

Yes it totally depends on your circumstances. You don't mention if you have a partner so that will be important.

If you are still working for your employer at 15 weeks before the birth you are entitled to maternity pay as per their contract or statutory at the least. You don't have to return to work after your leave unless you accept additional pay from your employer that is under contract of returning for a certain length of time (some employers offer this). If you leave sooner and are not entitled to SMP you will be able to claim maternity allowance as a benefit (which is basically the same except you don't have a salary to get 90% of for the first 6 weeks).

After your maternity leave you will only be entitled to benefits that you are eligible for based on your household income. These benefits and eligibility criteria can be easily found on the direct.gov website. Single parents will have certain extra eligibility. Bear in mind our new charming government are getting rid of as much as they can so criteria and amounts will be changing in the next tax year and beyond.

 

[Tadan]

You get the full SMP. Just give your notice as normal when you should return to work. I personally wouldn't tell them you don't plan on going back until 30 days before the end of ML. As long as you give notice a month before then you'll get all the SMP you were entitled to. Then after you quit look into benefits such as income support.

 

[PeanutBean]

It doesn't matter whether you return or not, you are still entitled to full SMP. If you are definitely not going back I think it would be courteous to tell them so they can advertise to fill your role permanently.