Blackburn mum opens up about eating son’s scraps as maternity pay fails to cover basic needs

In a poignant revelation shedding light on the harsh realities faced by many, a 33-year-old single mum from Blackburn bravely shares her daily struggle of having to subsist on her young son’s leftovers due to financial constraints during her maternity leave.

The mother, who works at a warehouse in East Lancashire, recently welcomed her second child and is grappling with the stark reality that her maternity pay falls short of covering essential expenses. With a three-year-old son to care for alongside her newborn, she finds herself sacrificing her own meals to ensure her children are adequately fed.

Expressing a mix of guilt and shame, she confides in LancsLive about her reliance on the Blackburn foodbank, a resource she never imagined needing. Despite her years of full-time employment, the inadequacy of Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) leaves her grappling with the stark choice between basic sustenance and providing for her family.

The current SMP scheme, which provides 90% of the mother’s average weekly earnings before tax for the first six weeks followed by a fixed rate thereafter, pales in comparison to the rising cost of living. A recent study by Unison and Maternity Action revealed alarming statistics, with over a quarter of new mothers resorting to skipping meals to make ends meet.

For this resilient mum, putting her children’s needs first comes naturally. She ensures their home is stocked with nutritious snacks and fresh produce, even as she finds herself scrimping on her own meals. With poignant honesty, she admits to often consuming only a single meal a day, relying on her son’s leftovers to stave off hunger.

As the debate over the adequacy of maternity pay rages on, advocacy groups are calling on the government to double the current allowance to provide mothers with a more realistic means of supporting their families during this crucial period. Ros Bragg, from Maternity Action, emphasizes the detrimental impact of financial stress on maternal mental health, underscoring the urgent need for systemic change.

As she navigates the uncertainty of returning to work, this resilient mum’s story serves as a stark reminder of the systemic challenges faced by many families across the country. Her courage in speaking out amplifies the voices of countless others silently grappling with similar hardships, urging policymakers to address the pressing need for comprehensive support for new mothers.