Becoming a parent can result in a significant reduction in income, causing many families to face cash flow problems. Many working parents are forced to return to work before a time which is best for their own mental health/the wellbeing of the child due to financial difficulties.
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Statutory maternity pay is currently the lower of 90% of your weekly wage (pre-tax) or £145.18 per week.
This is significantly lower than the state pension (£164.35 p/w)
This is lower than the benefits cap (£384.62 p/w).
Although becoming a parent is (for many) a choice, SMP is not sufficient to pay monthly bills and also provide for a child. This means many parents either delay or do not have children (and pregnancies are more high risk with older mothers), or are forced to return to work.