Who will get paid maternity benefit?

Hi All Well I am one of the ones that won't and am just curious as to how many people actually will get paid. In my 2 previous companies I would have definitely got paid, should have stayed where I was, now I face the bread line, surviving on 280 a week But we'll get there, there's more to worry about than that! If anyone has been through this already, and survived on the statutory minimum, please share your money saving / cost saving tips whilst on leave! thanks Nance

I didnt get paid, so only had the €280. To be honest is didnt go out much so i didnt spend much. I didnt buy clothes as took a while to lose the weight. Didnt really go out for drinks or meals as i was breastfeeding so saved money there. I also had more time to do grocery shopping so i found i could get better bargains as usually it was a rush job. I also cooked things like lasagne, shepards pie etc that did for 2 dinners and it worked out cheaper. Thats all i can think of for the moment, try and save a bit now and buy baby stuff over the coming months and you may not notice it as much.

Hi Nance, hope your pregnancy is going well. I get paid maternity leave in work but I'm not too sure what to vote (because of the way the vote is worded)because I have to sign all my maternity benefit cheques over to them, so my salary stays the same. I think I just vote yes.

I voted yes - i will be getting paid while on leave, however when I had my son I was surviving on something like 200 a wk - it was almost 7 yrs ago and thats what the rate was then...I was 21 and if at 21 i was able to do it, you'll find you'll manage too...it means a lot of sacrafice, you'll be buying the cheap toilet roll in tesco for 99c!! you'll get used to it, and you'll appreciate the value of your euro a lot more! With your OH's salary - things work out alright, you won't go hungry, you won't be cold, but the pub mightn't see you as often as it did before...but you'll have a lovely baby at home... Honestly all these things tend to work out, it takes a few wks to adjust to it all - but you will...

i voted yes- my 280 euro per week goes straight ot my employer, who then tops it up so i'm on full salary for the first 6 months of my leave... then unpaid leave kicks in. hth...