US EditionTrue cost of becoming a mum highlighted in new data on pay
Mothers in England lose an average of £65,618 in earnings five years after their first child due to reduced work hours and career progression barriers, Office for National Statistics data shows.
- New research by the Office for National Statistics found having children leads to a substantial and long-lasting earnings reduction for mothers, with 249,480 women in England earning 42% less five years after a first child.
- ONS analysts said earnings cuts reflect structural shifts such as moves to part-time work, with paid work probability dropping 15 percentage points at 18 months after a first child.
- Across five years the data reveal mothers lost an average of £65,618 after a first child, £26,317 after a second, and £32,456 after a third, totaling over £124,000 for a mother of three.
- Campaigners warned up to 74,000 new or expectant mums lose jobs annually due to discrimination, urging urgent reform of parental leave and childcare policies.
- The findings feed into concerns about pensions as the motherhood effect drives a 48% gender pensions gap, while new laws last year strengthened redundancy protections and 94% of nurseries expect fee rises this year.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Evening Standard
perspectivemedia.comStudy shows impact of motherhood on earnings
ONS says part of the cut in earnings was the result of a reduction in employment.
Mothers lose staggering amount in earnings after birth of their first child
New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show mothers lose more than £65,000 in earnings in the five years after having their first child.The data reveals monthly earnings fall by 42 per cent compared to pre-birth levels, an average loss of £1,051 a month.The analysis tracked women who gave birth between 2014 and 2022. It shows the impact goes well beyond maternity leave, with employment prospects also suffering. TRENDING Stor…
Mothers face £65,618 ‘mum tax’ over five years following birth of first child - IFA Magazine
New data from the ONS shows that having children leads to a substantial and long-lasting reduction in mothers’ earnings; five years after the birth of a first child, monthly earnings were reduced on average by 42%, or £1,051 per month, compared with earnings one year before the birth. The total earnings loss over five years amounts to an average of £65,618 following the birth of a first child, £26,317 following the birth of a second child and £3…
‘Motherhood penalty’ costs women over £65,000 by time first child turns five, ONS finds
Women in England face a dramatic and long-lasting earnings hit after having children, with the average mother losing over £65,000 in pay by the time her first child turns five, according to sobering new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The analysis reveals a 42% fall in mothers’ average monthly earnings – equivalent to a loss of £1,051 per month – compared with income levels one year before childbirth. The ONS found that the “…
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