Motherhood leads to a "substantial and long-lasting" reduction in women's earnings, according to new research from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The study found that five years after having their first child, mothers' monthly earnings were on average 42% lower compared to their earnings one year before giving birth.
This represents a monthly loss of £1,051 for mothers in England, based on data covering the period from 2014 to 2022. The earnings reduction persisted throughout the entire study period, showing the long-term financial impact of having children.
The research revealed that part of the earnings cut resulted from reduced employment among mothers. The ONS found that the biggest loss in earnings occurred after the first birth, followed by sustained reductions for five years after each subsequent birth.
Cumulative financial losses
The total earnings loss over five years amounts to an average of £65,618 following the birth of a first child. Parents face an additional £26,317 loss following the birth of a second child, and £32,456 following the birth of a third child, according to the ONS data.
For mothers of three children, this represents a total financial loss of over £100,000 across the five-year period studied. The figures highlight the escalating financial penalty that increases with each additional child.
Expert concerns over inequality
Alice Martin, head of research at the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, described the findings as revealing "the stark and unfair reality for working mothers in the UK". She noted that while government aims to "make work pay", mothers face persistent disadvantages in both pay and career progression.
"They are forced to trade job security and opportunities to manage early motherhood and ongoing childcare," Martin explained. The research underscores how women bear a disproportionate financial burden when starting families.
Rachel Grocott from campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed said the data confirms what mothers have known for decades. "The moment you have children, your pay nosedives," she stated, describing the 42% salary reduction as "completely abhorrent".
"It's not a gentle decline -- it's a financial freefall," Grocott added. She argued that if men experienced similar penalties for becoming parents, the issue would have been addressed years ago, criticising how women are "punished for caring" and "sidelined at work".
Calls for urgent reform
Grocott warned that the financial barriers are making having children "a luxury" that many women cannot afford. She called for urgent reforms including affordable childcare, sensible parental leave policies, and workplaces that support rather than penalise motherhood.
"We need workplaces that stop treating motherhood like a liability and instead flex their roles to help mothers navigate the infamous juggle," she said. The campaign group argues for systematic changes to tackle what they term "the motherhood penalty".
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
