Parental advisory
Women across the UK are playing out their days in jobs they hate for no other reason than they hope a baby is on the cards, and their workplace’s maternity package is the only way to make becoming a parent financially viable. But, WH asks, at what cost to their own health?
There’s something deliciously masochistic about poking fun at our collective hatred of the day job. Like the memes that liken the Monday morning feeling to a baby falling into a pile of mud. Or the Instagram reels hating on that colleague who can’t use the mute button after two years of working from home. But there’s a specific yet considerable set of women who, rather than LOLing at their phones , are instead losing sleep over being stuck in jobs that make them miserable. The reason they can’t move onwards and upwards? They want a baby.
Across the country, there are teachers, retail staff, office workers, civil servants and high-flying execs all facing a similar conundrum.
Stay put in a job that makes their eyes roll into the back of their head just because the maternity package is better than government standard, which is the only way to make parenthood realistically affordable, or follow their desire to change jobs or switch up careers, putting family plans on hold as a result. With these as the only two options on the table for many, there’s no obvious win for those who want to – shocker – enjoy work and be a financially secure parent at the same time.
And considering how many hours in any given week we spend working, what does this parenthood trap really mean for the mental and physical health of the women caught in it?
For your own benefit
First, consider the current state of play of maternity packages. Often something people don’t consider until they’ve decided that trying for a baby is on the cards, it can be shocking and disheartening to see the numbers in black and white.
Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) – paid in the same way as your wages – is 90% of your average weekly earnings (before tax) for the first six weeks, then £151.97 or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower) for the next 33 weeks. To qualify, an individual must be employed by the same employer throughout pregnancy, must have been employed by them 15 weeks before the baby’s due date and have an average pay (before tax) of at least £120 a week. If you don’t meet those criteria, or are self-employed or freelance, you won’t have access to SMP and will only qualify for Maternity Allowance – up to £151.97 per week, depending on your circumstances.
‘Mat leave allowances are impossible to live on unless you have other government aid, savings or a partner’s income to fall back on – or your employer tops it up,’ says Joeli Brearley, founder of Pregnant
