A Salford parenting support group has reacted to Conservative MP Kemi Badenoch’s ‘divisive’ comments on maternity pay.
Badenoch’s, who is running in the Tory leadership race, caused extreme controversy after branding maternity pay as “excessive”.
She said: “Statutory maternity pay is a function of tax and tax comes from people who are working. We’re taking from one group of people and giving to another. This, in my view, is excessive”.
However she has since said her comments were ‘misinterpreted”.
Salford parental group Visit From The Stork which, supports and empower parents to open up on their struggles, has branded the comments ‘confusing’.
Kimberly Preston-Bond, CEO of Visit from the stork, said: “Badenoch’s comments are divisive, what she should be calling for is for dads to have more paid time off to support their partners and bond with their child.
“Instead mums are left to do it mostly by themselves. Statutory maternity pay is around £180 a week, which is the absolute minimum anyone should have and we feel it should be increased to allow women to fund their babies.
“Maternity pay is only available to those who work, so Badenoch’s comments regarding taking money away from taxpayers are confusing. I hope our new government sees that maternity pay should be valued as a crucial part of making sure the next generation flourish.”
The support group acts as the support network for parents and children, with the belief that long-term, consistent support breaks down barriers and encourages families to ask for help.
According to GOV.UK, Statutory Maternity Pay is paid for up to 39 weeks, in which mothers receive 90% of their average weekly earnings (before tax) for the first six weeks and then £184.03 or 90% of their average weekly earnings, whichever is lower, for the next 33 weeks, but tax and National Insurance will be deducted.
Preston-Bond spoke about the difficulty in recovering from pregnancy and the need for time for mums to recover, saying:
“Paid maternity pay is crucial for mums in the postnatal period. They have spent nine months growing a baby inside of them so having time off after birth to allow them to develop crucial bonds with their baby, to recover from potentially life changing surgery and to allow for infant feeding will give their baby the best start in life.
“At Visit from the Stork we have found that many parents struggle to manage on maternity pay. Our services of giving out nappies and baby essentials for struggling parents have become crucial.”
You can find more about Visit from the Stork here.
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