Government rejects calls to raise maternity pay levels

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 13 Oct, 12:02 · Archive

The Government has responded to a petition signed by nearly 69,000 people calling for higher maternity pay, declining to overhaul the system.

Nearly 69,000 people have signed a petition calling for the Government to overhaul maternity pay, with a closing date of March 14, 2027. The petition, created by Joeli Brearley, demands that mothers receive 90 per cent of their salary for the first 12 weeks of maternity leave, followed by payments equivalent to the National Minimum Wage for the remainder of their leave.

The Government published its response on October 9, stating that maternity pay is not designed to replace a mother's full earnings. It said: 'Maternity pay is intended to provide a measure of financial support while a mother takes time away from work to recover from childbirth and care for her child.'

Campaigners argue that low maternity pay forces families to struggle with household bills and pressures mothers to return to work earlier than they would prefer. The petition claims that the UK's Statutory Maternity Pay is among the least generous in Europe. Between 2023 and 2026, it increased by 12.7 per cent, compared with a 22 per cent rise in the National Living Wage. The campaign cites estimates suggesting that the proportion of mothers returning to work early for financial reasons rose from 42 per cent in 2022 to 58 per cent in 2023.

How it is being reported

• Nearly 69,000 want maternity pay changed – now the Government has respondedThe Government has responded to a petition signed by 68,598 people calling for higher maternity pay. Here's what ministers said.Worcester News · 13 Oct, 11:35
• Nearly 69,000 want maternity pay changed – now the Government has respondedThe Government has responded to a petition signed by 68,598 people calling for higher maternity pay. Here's what ministers said.Malvern Gazette · 13 Oct, 11:35

In this story: Joeli Brearley · UK · Government

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