New mothers return to work early as financial pressures shorten maternity leave, report finds

Financial pressures are prompting many new mothers to return to work before the end of their statutory maternity leave, according to new polling from campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed. The organisation’s State of the Nation 2026 survey, conducted in partnership with Women in Data, suggests the impact is greatest on single parents, lower income families and parents of disabled children.

The survey found that 82 percent of mothers who returned to work before completing their maternity leave said they did so because they could not afford to remain on leave. The report argues that the end of Statutory Maternity Pay after 39 weeks creates a financial pressure point for many families, particularly those without access to enhanced employer benefits.

According to the findings, around half of mums said they felt emotionally or mentally unprepared to return to work, rising to almost 70 percent among disabled parents. The report also claims that around three quarters of mothers who returned to work experienced some form of maternity-related discrimination.

Access to enhanced maternity pay was found to vary according to income. While more than six in ten employers now offer enhanced maternity pay, the survey found that 71 percent of higher income mothers received it, compared with 53 percent of those on lower incomes. Mothers on higher incomes were also more likely to have partners with access to enhanced parental leave.

The research suggests these differences influence how long parents are able to remain on leave. Nearly 60 percent of higher income mothers stayed on leave beyond the 39 week Statutory Maternity Pay period, compared with around half of lower income mothers. Among single parents, the proportion fell to 38 percent. Mothers caring for disabled children were also less likely than the national average to receive enhanced maternity pay.

The report also highlights differences in employment outcomes after maternity leave. It estimates that around 36,000 mothers leave the workforce each year for maternity-related reasons, either because they do not return following leave or because arrangements for flexible working prove unsuccessful. According to the survey, mothers on lower incomes were two and a half times more likely to leave the workforce than those on higher incomes. Nearly one in five single mothers and 16 percent of mothers caring for disabled children said they did not return to work after maternity leave.

Pregnant Then Screwed says the findings point to continuing inequalities in access to maternity support and flexible working arrangements, with the greatest impact falling on families facing financial or caring pressures.