Motherhood penalty' costs women an average 65,618 in pay by time first child turns five

"Mothers lose an average of 65,618 in pay by the time their first child turns five, as the motherhood penalty risks their financial security, official figures show. Mums in England are hit by a substantial and long-lasting reduction in their pay after they have children, as they become less likely to stay in paid employment, the Office for National Statistics have said."

"On average, there is an additional 26,317 loss after the birth of a second child, and then a further 32,456 after the birth of a third child. Rachel Grocott, chief executive of the charity Pregnant Then Screwed, said mothers were being punished for caring, sidelined at work, and expected to just absorb the cost. And the more children you have, the deeper the drop."

"Joeli Brearley, chief executive of the back to work consultancy Growth Spurt, said the drop in earnings was catastrophic for women's quality of life. Money is freedom, and stripping women of that freedom because they became mothers is nothing short of scandalous, she said. Alice Martin, of Lancaster University, said the figures reflected the unfair reality for working mothers. Addressing the motherhood penalty requires bringing parental leave policies into the 21st century,"

Mothers lose an average £65,618 in pay by the time their first child turns five, driven by a 42% fall in average monthly earnings (about £1,051 per month) five years after birth compared with one year before. Additional average losses of £26,317 follow a second child and £32,456 after a third, producing cumulative shortfalls that can exceed £100,000 for mothers of three. The reductions reflect lower likelihood of remaining in paid employment and long-lasting wage penalties. Policy responses called for include modernising parental leave to provide ample paid time off for both parents; shared parental leave was introduced in 2014 allowing up to 50 weeks of leave and up to 37 weeks of pay.

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