Calls for maternity pay to be doubled as mums are skipping meals and taking drastic measures to get by
Aneira Davies
Social and newsletter writerSome new mums are going without food and heating because they can't afford to live on maternity pay
New mums are skipping meals to make ends meet during maternity leave, says campaigners calling on the government to double the rate of statutory maternity pay.
Organisations Unison and Maternity Action have joined together to call for an increase in the weekly pay to help parents on low incomes who are struggling to survive on the current weekly amount.
They reported that some mums are going without meals, cutting short their maternity leave over money worries and resorting to other drastic measures to get by, because the amount does not go far enough.
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Calls to double maternity pay
Both Unison and Maternity Action have called for statutory maternity pay to increase to £364.70 per week – the equivalent of the national minimum wage of £10.42 per hour.
A statement by the two organisations said that the rate of pay should increase so that 'new mothers are not forced back to work too early'.
It added that 'both organisations are concerned some women are cutting short their maternity leave, skipping meals and making other drastic choices because they cannot afford to live on the current statutory weekly amount of £172.48.'
Currently, new mums get Statutory Maternity Pay for 39 weeks of their 52-week maternity leave.
For the tax year 2023-2024, this is:
- 90% of your average weekly earnings (before tax) for the first 6 weeks
- £172.48 or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower) for the next 33 weeks.
From April 2024, £172.48 will increase to £184.03.
Skipping meals to save money
A survey by Maternity Action on behalf of Unison found that a quarter of mums on maternity leave had gone without eating – sometimes all day – to be able to afford to feed their family.
The findings, based on the responses of 1,400 mums in the UK who had taken maternity leave, also found that new mums were resorting to eating their children's leftovers, brushing their teeth to suppress hunger, surviving on just toast and relying on friends and family for food parcels.
Nearly half of the women surveyed said they had had to buy less healthy food to save money, while more than a third (35%) admitted to skipping meals or having smaller portions.
And one in 20 (5%) said they had occasionally not eaten all day to reduce spending on food during a Cost of Living crisis.
Unison and Maternity Action said low maternity pay had also taken its toll on women's health – with one mum being prescribed medication for anaemia after skipping meals.
Financial pressures
The survey also found that these financial pressures are forcing new mums to return to work sooner than they intended or hoped.
58% of mums said they'd had to return to work before they were ready.
And results showed that 71% of those quizzed worried 'a lot' about money during their pregnancy or maternity leave.
Many more women said they'd turned down the thermostat or the heating to save a bit of cash, which they said made them worry they weren't keeping their babies warm enough and had led to health problems such as respiratory issues in some cases.
Others reported instances of mould and damp in their home.
'No mother should have to go without food or skip meals'
Unison's general secretary said that new mums were facing the financial pressures of a Cost of Living crisis.
She explained: 'Everyone is feeling the impact of escalating living costs. But it’s hitting new mums particularly hard.
'No mother should have to go without food or skip meals. But the failure of maternity pay to keep up with increasing living costs is driving many pregnant workers and new mothers into severe financial hardship.'
And Ros Bragg, Maternity Action's director, added: 'Mothers shouldn’t be forced to cut short their maternity leave because they can’t make ends meet. This is an important time for women to recover from the birth and bond with their baby.
'Women should be reducing their stress levels during pregnancy and their child’s first year, not worrying about how to pay for essentials. Stress during pregnancy puts women at increased risk of post-natal depression and other mental health conditions.
'The government should be supporting pregnant women and new mothers to live healthy lives, not leaving them struggling to keep their house warm and eat a balanced diet.'
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