Overhaul for Island maternity benefits?

Overhaul for Island maternity benefits?

In what has been described as the final step in the government’s plan to improve family-friendly rights and recognise the role of all parents in the care of their children, Social Security Minister Judy Martin has lodged a proposition calling for the introduction of a new parental allowance and grant from January.

Currently only birth mothers can claim a maternity grant of £667.59 per child and a weekly allowance of £224.98 for up to 18 weeks. Adoptive parents are entitled to a one-off payment of £667.59.

Under the minister’s proposal, all three benefits would be replaced by a parental grant equivalent to the existing one-off payments and universal parental allowance available for up to 32 weeks, which could be split between both parents.

Adoptive and surrogate parents would be able to claim as well as birth parents. The amounts to be paid would not change from the current benefits.

Employers would be able to offset the wages of any parents taking paid leave by the amount paid to them by
the government via the weekly allowance.

‘Year on year there are approximately 900 babies born in the Island. This gives some indication of the impact that extending these benefits to all parents will have. In addition, these updates will have the added benefit of assisting parents who decide to adopt or have a surrogate child.

‘There will also be provision for surrogate birth mothers,’ the report accompanying Deputy Martin’s proposition says.

It adds that the proposed changes are ‘in the best interests of the Island’s children’.

The proposition is due to be debated during the week of 17 November.

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