Majority of new mums already forced back to work over finances, says maternity charity

It’s no surprise that Conservative Leadership hopeful Kemi Badenoch has caused outrage with her remarks that maternity pay has “gone too far”.

As we know at Maternity Action her views are in sharp contrast to what so many families experience.

Our advisors answer more than 3,000 queries a year from women and new parents about maternity pay, benefits and employment rights.

In reality only 13% of women access any form of enhanced maternity pay from employers, down from 44% in 2008. Most employed women rely on statutory maternity pay.

This is paid at 90% of earnings for the first six weeks of maternity leave but then drops to £184.03 weekly: less than half (46%) the £400.40 national minimum wage for a 35-hour week and less than a third of women’s average full-time earnings.

Some may only be eligible for Maternity Allowance if self-employed or in insecure work or the pregnancy is unplanned – but may be no better off because of the way Universal Credit deducts Maternity Allowance pound for pound.

Most families suffer a huge drop in income when one parent goes on maternity leave, which is aggravated by high food, energy and housing costs. Some of the hardest hit are those where the new mother was previously the main breadwinner or self-employed.

As one told us “I am the main income to our household. The difference in income to our household each month is £1,700! You can’t save for this!”

Our annual cost of living survey with UNISON of more than 1,000 expectant and new mothers shows a majority rely on credit cards, loans and borrowing from friends and family to get through maternity leave (62%) with more than a fifth (23%) accumulating debts of more than £4,000.

Half (51%) are buying less healthy food, a quarter (26%) are going without themselves so they can feed their children.

A majority (59%) have cut short their maternity leave or plan to do so because of financial concerns. One mother told us she would return to work after seven months despite childbirth injuries only just healing as her savings had run out.

Some first-time mothers say that the financial worries are causing them to think twice about having a second child.

Having a child is not like buying a car. You shouldn’t have to go into debt to have one. And no one should have to forgo the time they need to recover from childbirth or bond with their new babies.

And it is not right that the poor rates of maternity pay means that those who can’t afford to live on lower than minimum wage cannot choose whether or not they want to have another child.

A recent study of 50 countries places the UK near the bottom of the list for well paid maternity leave. Norway pays 54 weeks maternity leave at 96% of usual pay for example.

This is an issue which is long overdue for reform. We hope the Chancellor can look at improving rates of maternity pay over the term of this Government. Other countries do better by new parents without damage to their economies.

• Maternity Action is the UK’s maternity rights charity dedicated to promoting, protecting and enhancing the rights of all pregnant women, new mothers and their families. Factsheets about maternity rights are available at https://maternityaction.org.uk/