Food banks

[bordercolliefan]

I have friends with children who both opted to drop hours at work to go part-time so it didn't affect their benefits! In some respects, I don't blame them for doing it. Would I work more hours to get the same money as being sat at home? That's the problem with the benefits/wages system though and I don't think it's that simple to fix.

I will probably vote Conservative, just because I think they are on the right track with business and the economy and I think, at the moment, that's the best way. I don't trust Labour with anything financial and I don't like the fact that the unions have such a big say (although Labour deny it!). As I said, just my personal opinion. I don't agree with the Tories on fox hunting and other issues but I don't think any one party fits exactly any more. There is no left and right, they're all central.

Having said the above, I am a poll clerk during these Elections so I have a postal vote. Knowing me, I will forget to send it off!

 

[Jon]

What about the mindset that if you have kids you have to be away from work for xyz number of years

why can't you get up duff, have child, go on maternity pay and then return to work as normal. Surely you factor these things in during the pregnancy (or before if it's planned) it can't just suddenly be a case of OH MY GOD WE CAN'T AFFORD IT - I WILL STAY AT HOME etc..

 

[bordercolliefan]

Is that what happens Jon? I don't have children but I decided to work part time when I got my dog!! LOL... Didn't go through the pregnancy with her though.... obviously! ;D

I know people who have had children deliberately just so they don't have to work...............

 

[bordercolliefan]

By the way, because I don't have children and my dog is my child, I believe I should be able to claim child benefits for her!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 8)

 

[Flitterbug]

What about the mindset that if you have kids you have to be away from work for xyz number of years

why can't you get up duff, have child, go on maternity pay and then return to work as normal. Surely you factor these things in during the pregnancy (or before if it's planned) it can't just suddenly be a case of OH MY GOD WE CAN'T AFFORD IT - I WILL STAY AT HOME etc..

Because most average jobs don't pay enough for childcare - I was a teaching assistant before I had my first and the annual salary was less than the cost of childcare. We don't qualify for any help as my partner earns just above threshold but we're okay with that. Plus I want to be the one that raises our children, what might sting a little is you don't get any maternity pay if you don't have a job. I suppose that's to stop people from just keeping on popping them out!

 

[Flitterbug]

I seem to have put myself into a controversial discussion again - oops!

Then again I don't think I'm the kind of person you're talking about so it's okay we wouldn't have gone for number 2 if we knew it was going to cause us huge financial trouble. Plus I'm really trying to do as much from home as I can to help supplement the income - every little helps (not affiliated with tesco XD)

 

[sparkleandshine]

oooh now Jon's being controversial too!!!

I know women who have done that, just kept having more kids to avoid going back to work, I find it quite amusing because trust me, it is so much harder having kids to look after than it is going to work! I think it's a confidence issue - the longer they are out of the workplace the more they fear it

my own experience was that my daughter's dad pretty much forced me out of the door the minute my paid maternity leave was up, so I never got the opportunity to experience what it would be like to be a stay at home mum, but I had been climbing the walls being on maternity leave anyway and going to work and getting a bit of a break from being mummy was the highlight of my week, really

It was only when my daughter was 7 I decided that I wanted to work from home or just work school hours to have more time with her, I guess that was when the guilt started to kick in about having worked so much when she was smaller

 

[sparkleandshine]

That's one of my sayings too Kelzky 'every little helps'

 

[sparkleandshine]

Don't you get some sort of maternity pay if you are up to date with your Class 2 NICs Kelzky?

 

[Flitterbug]

Don't you get some sort of maternity pay if you are up to date with your Class 2 NICs Kelzky?

I need to look into it - I did contribute voluntarily last year as I knew my from-home income was no where near the threshold - as in I earnt pretty much nothing. The midwife said to ring the money advice service to see if there was some sort of 'sure start' grant I could qualify for.

 

[sparkleandshine]

I think you do...when I was with Avon I used to pay them voluntarily even though I earned way under the threshold. we were originally planning to have another child, but I feel way too old for that sort of thing now, so the moment has passed!

 

[katykicker]

Don't you get some sort of maternity pay if you are up to date with your Class 2 NICs Kelzky?

I need to look into it - I did contribute voluntarily last year as I knew my from-home income was no where near the threshold - as in I earnt pretty much nothing. The midwife said to ring the money advice service to see if there was some sort of 'sure start' grant I could qualify for.

If you paid voluntary class 2 NICs the you'll be entitled to maternity allowance, different from the normal maternity pay.

You can claim from 26 weeks and only need to make 13 weeks of Voluntary class 2 NICs. payments start 11 weeks before your due date (You're quite far along aren't you?)

This is for people not entitled to statutory maternity pay.. If you are self-employed you should qualify for the full £139.58 a week for 39 weeks as it doesn't work the same as employed with a set wage/pay per hour.

https://www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance/eligibility

You only need to have paid for 13 of the 66 weeks before your baby is due/born.

Hope that helps

 

[katykicker]

Sure start grants are only for first children now OR if you're having multiples.

https://www.gov.uk/sure-start-maternity-grant/overview