How did everyone manage on maternity pay?

My maternity pay is actually less than my universal credits. I also have £200 to last me until the end of December. I’ve decided that only the children will receive presents, and even those will be on a budget. As for grocery shopping, I'm going back to basics with just meat and vegetables—nothing fancy.

Have you checked to see if you're eligible to claim any other benefits whilst you're in maternity?
This website has some useful information.... https://workingfamilies.org.uk/articles/maternity-calendar/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA6aW6BhBqEiwA6KzDczL6An4DNQ-_2BMzClRSeFASfhUa8WC2vNpuSgPHQOfyih8ghUrzrhoCswcQAvD_BwE

SMP is a quarter of my usual income and doesn't cover my share of mortgage and bills. I've spent the last 5 years saving for my two maternity leaves and so haven't had a holiday since 2019. The only way I've been able to manage. I pay myself from savings. X

Struggling too..... my pay only just covers my half of the mortgage and my phone bill. I saved (at start of maternity pay) half my pay each month to try cover when the money completely stops so I can have longer of with my baby. So I try sell on Vinted a couple of £ here and there but mostly I'm just struggling it's awful as you want the time with your baby but it's not encouraged anymore and not made easy :(

Selling clothes or old toys on FB or vinted.
Work kit days if your job offers them
Request if your holiday you've gaining on leave can be paid.
Buy second hand kids gifts
And my favourite get really cross at how low mat pay is!

🥹 and the government wonders why birth rates are very low!

Its shite! My maternity pay only just covers my share of the bills, that doesn't include my car, phone or contribution to food! Its ridiculous that we're expected to survive off it

My employer tops up my pay for me on top of the SMP. So I get 2/3 of my usual salary from June to March. Then I saved doing 60+ hrs while pregnant until my 3rd trimester

We are burning through savings that we built up as we know from our first child that SMP is shocking and doesn’t cover hardly anything.

This is a big worry of mine at the moment to the point. I’m up in the night worrying about what to do. I’m lucky enough to have savings there however I’m always wondering about what to do with work as I’m only paid until February my baby will then be eight months old. It seems so harsh to have to go back when my baby is so young and I don’t even qualify for universal credit as I have savings and my partner earns enough.🤬🤬🤬🤬 not enough for us to survive off tho

I had to go back to work after 3 months 😭 I wouldn’t have managed on maternity pay as had full pay up until I went back.
I work from home and so does my partner but it’s sooo hard with only 2 of the days my son going to his grandparents.