Start before you need to.
Parenthood might still be years away. That's precisely why now could be a good time to start planning.
BUILDING LIFE WEALTH
Time with your family shouldn't be a luxury.
Cereus is building a better way to plan and save for parental leave.
See how much extra income you might need during parental leave, set a savings goal and discover how much to put aside each month to reach it.
Whether you're planning on your own or with a partner, we're making it easier to prepare for the time that matters most.
Free to join · No commitment · Early members get priority access
THE PROBLEM
A life-changing moment shouldn't come with a financial guessing game.
For many families, parental leave comes with a sudden drop in income. In 2026/27, Statutory Maternity Pay falls to £194.32 a week after the first six weeks. Paternity Leave is only paid at the statutory rate, and only for 2 weeks.
For most parents, that is the point where leave stops being a choice and starts being a calculation. They go back earlier than they planned, not because they are ready, but because they cannot afford to stay.
82%
Of mothers who cut their leave short said money was the reason. Not because they were ready to go back.
55%
Borrowed money or used credit cards to get through pregnancy or maternity leave.
58%
Of mothers got statutory pay only, with no extra support from their employer.
Sources: Pregnant Then Screwed 2026 · Maternity Action Survey 2025 · DBT Parental Rights Survey 2019
HOW IT WORKS
Not just a savings account. A plan for more time together.
Cereus takes what feels like a distant goal and helps you turn it into a trackable plan with a savings goal you can start working towards today.
01
PLAN
Plan the leave you want.
Tell us how long you want off and roughly when you plan to take it. Cereus works backwards to find the monthly saving that gets you there, taking into account statutory pay and whatever your employer provides.
SARAH'S PLAN
She's planning ahead for a family she hasn't started yet.
Sarah estimates that her employer would cover her income needs for the first three months of leave.
For the remaining seven months, she'd like an extra £1,500 a month to help support her family.
That's £10,500 in planned income top-ups. She sets herself a £15,000 savings goal, giving her an additional £4,500 buffer if life doesn't go quite to plan.
Illustrative product concept. Banking arrangements are not yet operational.
WORK OUT YOUR NUMBER
Find your monthly savings target.
See what you need to put aside each month to prepare for parental leave.
Your details.
10 months
84 months
Illustrative starting point from your savings goal and timeframe. Contributions only — no interest, income changes, or leave-pay entitlements.
Your target savings pot
£15,000
Already saved£0
Still to save£15,000
Time to save84 months (7 years)
Your monthly savings goal£179/mo
Income during leave
Conceptual example for 10 months — not a Cereus forecast
- Employer / statutory pay£1,300/mo
- Cereus savings top-up£1,500/mo
Illustrative visual only. Actual pay and top-ups will be calculated from your circumstances.
Contributions only (no interest). The Cereus app will factor in employer policy, statutory pay and contributions.
Your family plans deserve more than a rough estimate.
We're building tools to help you understand your parental-leave income, adjust your savings target and prepare with confidence.
Join the free waitlistWHY STARTING EARLY MATTERS
Start saving earlier to give yourself more choice later.
The earlier you start preparing, the more manageable your savings goal can become.
You don't need to have a baby on the way - or even know exactly when you want to start a family. Starting with a small, achievable goal today could make a real difference when the time comes.
Life changes. Your plan can too.
Dates change, priorities shift and surprises happen. Your savings goal should be able to adapt as life unfolds.
Plan your way.
Whether you're preparing on your own or with a partner, Cereus is being designed to help you plan for the family life you want.
OPTIONAL · HELP SHAPE CEREUS
Have two minutes? Help shape Cereus.
Optional research questions. Completing them does not join the waitlist.
Share your thoughtsJOIN THE FREE WAITLIST
Your future family starts with a plan.
Join the free Cereus waitlist for early access, practical parental-leave planning tips and opportunities to help shape a better way to save.
- Free to join. No commitment.
- Priority early access when we launch.
- Opportunities to help shape the product.
- Practical parental-leave planning tips while we build.
- Unsubscribe whenever you like.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Everything you need to know about Cereus.
What is Cereus?
Cereus is a new financial planning and savings platform we're developing to help people prepare for life's important moments, starting with parental leave.
Our aim is to help you understand what your time away from work might cost, set a savings goal and feel more confident about the choices ahead.
How will saving for parental leave work?
You'll start by choosing how much leave you'd like to take and estimating the income you may need while you're away.
Cereus will help you work out a savings goal and track your progress towards it. We're developing the banking arrangements that could allow you to use those savings during leave.
The final savings and withdrawal terms will be confirmed before launch.
How is Cereus different from an ordinary savings account?
A savings account helps you put money aside. Cereus is being designed to help you understand how much you might need, when you'll need it and how to prepare.
It's the difference between watching a balance grow and saving towards a plan for your family.
How much is UK Statutory Maternity Pay?
For eligible employees, Statutory Maternity Pay is usually 90% of average weekly earnings for the first six weeks.
For the next 33 weeks, the 2026/27 rate is £194.32 per week, or 90% of average weekly earnings if lower. For Paternity Leave statutory pay is provided for 2 weeks only.
Some employers offer enhanced parental pay, so your actual entitlement may be different.
Is Cereus suitable for different kinds of families?
That's our aim.
Whether you're planning on your own, with a partner, through adoption or exploring other routes to parenthood, we want to make financial planning for family life more accessible.
Specific product features will be confirmed as development progresses.
Does my employer need to be involved?
No. We're designing Cereus so that you can plan independently.
Knowing your employer's parental-leave policy can help you estimate your income more accurately, but you won't need your employer to join the waitlist.
We're also exploring ways to make Cereus available as a workplace benefit.
Can Cereus help me save for fertility treatment?
Yes, if fertility treatment becomes part of your journey we will let you withdraw your savings for this purpose.
When will Cereus launch?
We're currently developing the product and don't have a confirmed launch date to announce.
Join our free waitlist and we'll keep you updated as we make progress.
Does it cost anything to join the waitlist?
Not a penny.
Joining is completely free, and there's no obligation to open an account or purchase anything when we launch. You can unsubscribe from updates at any time.
Will Cereus be free when it launches?
The waitlist is free. Future Family Saver is being designed as a paid product so we can build and support the planning and savings tools properly.
Pricing isn't final yet. We'll share clear options before anyone is asked to pay, and joining the waitlist never commits you to a purchase.
Who's behind Cereus?
We're an early-stage UK fintech team with experience across banking, technology and building new ventures.
We started Cereus because we believe preparing for family life should be simpler, more accessible and more human.