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The hidden cost of motherhood: Why mums are retiring with 33% less pension wealth than men

The hidden cost of motherhood: Why mums are retiring with 33% less pension wealth than men

A new campaign from Pregnant Then Screwed reveals how childcare costs, career breaks and maternity leave could be leaving mums thousands of pounds worse off.

Ruairidh Pritchard

Published: October 15, 2026 at 1:07 PM

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Having children changes your life in countless ways, but there's one cost of motherhood that many of us might not think about until decades later: our pensions. And new research suggests mums could be paying a much bigger price than they realise.

Women in the UK have, on average, 33% less pension wealth than men, according to figures highlighted by parenting charity Pregnant Then Screwed. Now, the charity has launched a new campaign, 'Thanks For Your Service', to shine a light on how childcare responsibilities, career breaks and even mistakes during maternity leave can leave mums financially worse off in retirement.

The campaign, which features well-known mums including Ashley James, Anna Whitehouse and Cat Simms, comes alongside new research revealing just how many women feel they have little choice but to sacrifice their future financial security to care for their children.

Why is motherhood costing women so much in retirement?

For many mums, the financial juggling act starts long before retirement is even on the radar. Between nursery fees, reduced working hours and the cost of everyday family life, paying into a pension can understandably slip down the priority list.

New YouGov research commissioned by Pregnant Then Screwed surveyed 400 lower and middle-income mothers, revealing the extent of the problem.

Among the findings:

42% of those asked why their pension contributions had reduced said they had little or no choice because of childcare responsibilities.
36% had reduced their working hours because of childcare.
28% had taken time out of work after having children.
22% had changed jobs to fit around childcare.
18% had prioritised childcare costs over pension savings.

And the emotional impact is significant, too. When asked how they felt about their pension savings, 40% said they were worried, 29% anxious and 26% resigned.

Just 5% said they felt confident about their pension savings.

Rachel Grocott, CEO of Pregnant Then Screwed, says the problem goes far beyond individual saving decisions.

The inequality in pensions is structural. Our pension system is designed to reward people who have continuous full-time employment, and this penalises every woman and parent who leaves or reduces work due to caring responsibilities and adjacent factors - including the high cost of childcare, inflexible working practices and ongoing misogyny which says ‘that’s just the way it is’.

Rachel Grocott, CEO of Pregnant Then Screwed

The maternity leave pension mistake mums need to know about

One of the most concerning issues highlighted by the campaign is something many mums might not even realise is happening: their workplace pension contributions could be calculated incorrectly while they're on maternity leave.

Under UK rules, when you're receiving paid maternity leave and remain eligible for workplace pension contributions, your employer's contributions will generally need to be based on your normal pay before maternity leave, rather than your reduced maternity pay.

Your own contributions, however, are generally calculated using the maternity pay you're actually receiving, subject to your pension scheme's rules.

That distinction matters, because if an employer calculates its contributions using the wrong figure, you could end up missing out on money that should have gone into your pension.

And because pensions are long-term savings, those missed contributions could have an impact years down the line.

Rachel says the charity has heard from mums who have experienced exactly this problem.

We have spoken to many mums who are telling us the same thing: when they go on maternity leave, their pension contributions are dropping - due to miscalculation of what they’re entitled to. This is a silent punishment that thousands of mums don’t even know is happening, and we want to change that.

Rachel Grocott, CEO of Pregnant Then Screwed

Why are Ashley James and Anna Whitehouse wearing '33% OFF' signs?

To make the gender pension gap impossible to ignore, Pregnant Then Screwed has recruited a group of familiar faces to front its new campaign.

Ashley James, Anna Whitehouse, Cat Simms, Agnes Agyepong, Victoria Emes, Katie Guild and Alison Perry are among the mums supporting the initiative.

The campaign features women wearing giant neon '33% OFF' discount signs, representing the pension wealth gap between women and men.

The striking images will appear on billboards, in print, across social media and on the streets, turning a statistic that's easy to overlook into something much harder to ignore.

What can mums do to protect their pensions?

While the campaign is calling for wider changes, it also wants to encourage mums to understand their pension entitlements and check they're receiving the correct contributions.

If you're pregnant, currently on maternity leave or have recently returned to work, there are a few useful steps you can take:

Check your pension statements: Look at the contributions made by both you and your employer, particularly during maternity leave.
Ask HR or payroll: Confirm how your employer calculated its pension contributions while you were receiving maternity pay.
Review your pension after changing hours: If you've moved to part-time work, check how your new salary affects your pension savings.
Get free guidance: MoneyHelper offers information about workplace pensions, maternity leave and retirement planning.
Question any discrepancies: If something doesn't look right, ask your employer or pension provider to explain the figures.

Pregnant Then Screwed is also calling for improvements to parental leave, better pension awareness and greater recognition of the financial impact of caring responsibilities.

Because while motherhood can involve plenty of sacrifices, the charity's message is clear: mums shouldn't have to sacrifice their financial future simply because they've had children.

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Authors

Ruairidh PritchardDigital Growth Lead

Ruairidh is the Digital Lead on MadeForMums. He works with a team of fantastically talented content creators and subject-matter experts on MadeForMums.