MoneyAt the same time, the cost of basic baby essentials has increased by 54.5% over the past decade, with nappies rising by 118.1%16:50, 11 Jun 2026A full-time working mother faces an average income shortfall of £15,892 during maternity leave, new research shows.‌Mothers on statutory maternity leave get 90% of their average weekly earnings before tax for the first six weeks. After that, they drop to the statutory rate of £194.32 per week, or 90% of their average weekly earnings, whichever is lower, for the next 33 weeks.‌The most recent report published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) puts the median UK full-time salary at £751 per week, which is £39,039 annually.‌But new research from family lawyers HCB Widdows Mason points out that 90% of that baseline equals £675.90, but the capped statutory rate that they would get is £194.32 because it is lower.This means for nearly four-fifths (84.6%) of their paid time off, working mothers miss out on a massive £481.58 every week - amounting to an overall income loss of £15,892.14 over the course of a standard maternity leave.At the same time, the cost of basic baby essentials has increased by 54.5% over the past decade, with nappies rising by 118.1%.‌Office for National Statistics (ONS) data shows over half a million (585,396) newborns were welcomed into England and Wales last year. This was 1.6% less than the year before.Lorraine Watts, a family law solicitor at HCB Widdows Mason, said: "The reality is that maternity leave exposes women to an acute financial vulnerability that many couples fail to anticipate.‌"When you combine an income drop of nearly £16,000 with a 54% spike in baby essentials, it creates a high-pressure environment right at the start of a child's life."We frequently see what happens when the financial strain becomes too heavy. If a relationship breaks down under these pressures, the financial realities can be devastating."Child maintenance calculations are legally designed to cover raw essentials, but they rarely reflect the actual cost of raising a child in today's economic climate. This creates an imbalance, where the primary caregiver shoulders the long-term financial burden alone.Article continues below"Proactive financial planning and completely transparent conversations about money before having children are no longer optional. Couples need to treat the choice to have a child with the same preparation as buying a house or writing a will."Failing to map out who will bear the financial brunt of taking time out of the workforce leaves relationships structurally fragile from day one."Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌Maternity rights