Marvin OnumonuResume.io research found a £6,230 gap between statutory maternity pay (SMP) and the average woman’s share of household bills during a year of maternity leave.
The study looked at parental policies from 500 companies and compared SMP to average costs for UK families.
Research revealed that SMP for 2025 rose slightly to £187.18 per week after the first six weeks.
Over the first six weeks, a new mother on average earnings received £639 per week, against weekly household bills of £312.34, giving a surplus of £326.66 each week.
For the following 33 weeks, the shortfall was £125.16 per week and then £312.34 per week for the last 13 weeks, which are unpaid.
The total shortfall worked out at £6,230.74 for the year.
According to Resume.io, without enhanced support, many mothers face impossible choices: returning to work earlier than planned, taking on debt, or struggling to afford the basics for their new family.
Resume.io added that enhanced maternity pay bridges this gap, giving new parents financial stability, peace of mind, and the ability to recover from birth and bond with their baby without immediate financial stress.
Research also showed that better maternity benefits were linked to improved maternal mental health, stronger family wellbeing, and greater workplace loyalty.
The research found that only 23% of employers in manufacturing, 40% in architecture, 47% in hospitality and travel, 53% in real estate and 54% in healthcare offer enhanced maternity pay packages above the statutory minimum.
These sectors also tended to have longer qualifying periods for eligibility.
In comparison, 94% of employers in government administration, 94% in food and beverages, 90% in marketing and advertising, 89% in legal, and 89% in biotech and pharmaceutical offer enhanced maternity pay.
These sectors also had shorter qualifying periods.
Resume.io also found that only 36% of employers overall offer enhanced shared parental leave. Construction had the highest proportion at 75%, followed by legal at 72% and government administration at 65%.
Manufacturing, food and beverages, careers and HR, and architecture were the least likely to offer enhanced shared parental leave, with rates ranging from 0% to 20%.
