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

Women’s average monthly earnings fall by 42% compared with one year before birth, ONS study finds

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.