#paternity pay

[feckcops]

Labour turns its back on workers’ rights

Labour Turns Its Back on Workers’ Rights

By watering down its commitment to workers' rights, the Labour Party is abandoning its last truly transformative policy – and consigning mil

“Labour has undermined the principle of universality that underpins its entire programme for employment rights. This means a tiered system of rights and entitlements will remain in place and makes the pledge to give all workers the same rights from day one impossible.

“When the New Deal was originally developed, the Labour leader, his cabinet and the party’s affiliated trade unions shared a vision. They sought to build a dignified workplace in which workers – from the moment they took up employment – would have the ability to take time away after the birth of a child or a bereavement, to enjoy a decent work-life balance and not to be arbitrarily dismissed.

“The document was a recognition of the fact that the tiered system is one of the key drivers of low pay and insecurity, responsible for 3.7 million being trapped in ‘insecure work’ who do not know when their next shift will be or if they will be able to pay their bills ... The New Deal was designed to end the most exploitative practices in the gig economy – where workers are often paid below the minimum wage, made to work in dangerous conditions and denied rest breaks. One such example is Amazon delivery drivers, who have been forced to drive through exhaustion and urinate in bottles ...

“The lack of rights and protections is not just a problem for those in insecure forms of work. It is a problem for workers and the economy as a whole. These practices put a downward pressure on wages and terms across the board, making us all poorer and facilitating a race to the bottom that is partly responsible for Britain’s poor growth and productivity. 

“The expansion of the gig economy in particular demonstrates how exploitative employment practices threaten once-secure jobs. The assault by Royal Mail against the terms and conditions of posties, for example, is a response to gig economy parcel delivery companies undercutting the postal service.”

[trying4baby]

Costs of having a baby - Maternity Leave

In the UK, we all pay our National Insurance when working.  This contributes towards a range of benefits such as loss of earnings.  This covers unemployment, statutory sick pay or maternity pay.  

However, those in employment will feel the cost of a child significantly more, than those out of work, as they will be losing money.

Maternity Pay (how much you are paid whilst off work)

This is the financial allowance for maternity leave in the UK:

First 6 weeks is 90% of your salary.  If the father takes his two week paternity allowance he will also get 90% of his salary for the paternity period.  This is calculated using your Average Weekly Earning (AWE).  If the father wants more time then this will need to be taken as holiday or parental leave.

39 weeks of statutory pay (currently around £135) or 90% of your AWE, whichever is lower.  

7 weeks no pay (topping it up to one years leave). 

It's no surprise that most women cannot afford to take a whole year off work to care for their newborn.  National minimum wage for an adult over 21 is £6.19.  The average full time hours is 37.5 per week.  One average the lowest salary for is £233 per week.  Statutory Maternity pay doesn't even cover this, it is 42% less than what the government set as the lowest amount someone can be paid.  

Another comparison is that JSA is currently at £111 (most paid) per week. Statutory maternity pay is £24 more. 

You may be able to claim support with your loss of earnings.

Income Support

Couples both over 18 could get £111.45 but must meet the eligibility criteria.  I don't know what is considered a low income by the government.   

you can't have £16k in savings.  Savings of £6k can affect how much you are entitled to.

you can claim if your are on paternity leave or pregnant (11 weeks before due date and up to 15 weeks after).  Also available for parental leave.

only one partner can claim it and they must be working less than 16 hours a week.  However, they will assess your household income based on you being a couple.  

Healthy Start vouchers:  if you're on income support and have a baby or child under 4 years, you may receive some vouchers for food and vitamins.

Income support of £111 + statutory pay of £135 = £246 which is just over national minimum wage.  So, if you can get income support then you should claim it.  

Many women have to return to work because they need the money.  However, they often discover that returning to work doesn't place them in a better position due to childcare costs.

NB:  In the UK, fathers can take the maternity leave and the mother can take the 2 weeks paternity   Or they can do 50/50.  They can't both claim maternity leave at the same time and the the 39 weeks is split between them, not 39 weeks each.  Therefore, if the father earns less it may be more cost effective for him to become the babies main carer during the first few months, however, the mother will still need recovery time after the birth which would be classed as maternity leave.  If the child is being breast fed then the mother will need to express on regular intervals to keep her milk flowing and to enable the father to feed whilst she is at work.  The employer must be supportive and allow her a suitable space to express and facilities to store her milk whilst at work.

 Links

Tax Credit Calculator: http://taxcredits.hmrc.gov.uk/Qualify/DIQHousehold.aspx

NI:  http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/index/information-and-services/money-tax-and-benefits/benefits-and-financial-support/expecting-or-bringing-up-children.htm

DirectGov:  https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits/families