Hieveryone
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2011
- Messages
- 280
- Reaction score
- 0
Hi all,
I've been looking into my options for childcare for my LO and how long i can have off etc. I just thought i'd write up what i've found as alot of us don't consider the options we have to us, especially paternity leave options which are badly publicised in my opinion. It's such a difficult decision to make but we all need to consider what is best in terms of finance and childcare for our families.
Anyway, we've done all the sums (the spreadsheets took me a week!) to weigh up how much income we'd have according to loads of different scenarios. We've also been to visit a local nursery which is great in the longer term but possibly a bit manic for the little ones.
Financially, i've worked out that the best option if for myself and OH to go back to work asap (even if the nursery fees are taken out, this still is the best option). However, this obviously isn't ideal so we looked at other options such as us both working 4 days per week each so we didn't have the LO in nursery full time.
It surprised us to see that when nursery fees were taken into account, we'd be pretty much better off with my OH giving up work for a while and me returning full time (i am the higher wage earner). So our current plan is for me to take maternity leave up to 5 mnths and for OH to take over for the rest of the 9mnths after that. The men can effectively receieve the rest of the paid statutory maternity pay if the woman is working. This seems the fairest way for us so OH has some time at home, so do i and the LO doesn't have to go to nursery straight away.
Alot of people don't realise that the 9 month paid maternity leave period can be split between the woman and man. I also think some people who are aware of this are not telling their partners as they want the time off themselves - i can understand this and everyone is different but it's worth considering whats best for you and your family as a whole and it'd be nice if the men knew what they were entitled to.
If you are considering the paternal leave option, just be aware that, although the guidance says the man can have up to 26 weeks paternal leave, he can only have paternity pay for the remainder of the 9mnths statutory maternity pay period which you haven't used (or at least that is what i have worked out!).Also they can only take over from the girls when the baby is 20 weeks old. Presumably this is to encourage breastfeeding up until then but doesn't really help anyone who needs to return to work before then anyway.
The most detailed guidance i've found regarding paternity leave is guidance note EP19 which is aimed at employers but explains what the guys are entitled to and is available on the hmrc website.
If anyone thinks i've got anything wrong from the above, please let me know as this is only my interpretation of the info which is out there!
I've been looking into my options for childcare for my LO and how long i can have off etc. I just thought i'd write up what i've found as alot of us don't consider the options we have to us, especially paternity leave options which are badly publicised in my opinion. It's such a difficult decision to make but we all need to consider what is best in terms of finance and childcare for our families.
Anyway, we've done all the sums (the spreadsheets took me a week!) to weigh up how much income we'd have according to loads of different scenarios. We've also been to visit a local nursery which is great in the longer term but possibly a bit manic for the little ones.
Financially, i've worked out that the best option if for myself and OH to go back to work asap (even if the nursery fees are taken out, this still is the best option). However, this obviously isn't ideal so we looked at other options such as us both working 4 days per week each so we didn't have the LO in nursery full time.
It surprised us to see that when nursery fees were taken into account, we'd be pretty much better off with my OH giving up work for a while and me returning full time (i am the higher wage earner). So our current plan is for me to take maternity leave up to 5 mnths and for OH to take over for the rest of the 9mnths after that. The men can effectively receieve the rest of the paid statutory maternity pay if the woman is working. This seems the fairest way for us so OH has some time at home, so do i and the LO doesn't have to go to nursery straight away.
Alot of people don't realise that the 9 month paid maternity leave period can be split between the woman and man. I also think some people who are aware of this are not telling their partners as they want the time off themselves - i can understand this and everyone is different but it's worth considering whats best for you and your family as a whole and it'd be nice if the men knew what they were entitled to.
If you are considering the paternal leave option, just be aware that, although the guidance says the man can have up to 26 weeks paternal leave, he can only have paternity pay for the remainder of the 9mnths statutory maternity pay period which you haven't used (or at least that is what i have worked out!).Also they can only take over from the girls when the baby is 20 weeks old. Presumably this is to encourage breastfeeding up until then but doesn't really help anyone who needs to return to work before then anyway.
The most detailed guidance i've found regarding paternity leave is guidance note EP19 which is aimed at employers but explains what the guys are entitled to and is available on the hmrc website.
If anyone thinks i've got anything wrong from the above, please let me know as this is only my interpretation of the info which is out there!
