underserved and underpaid: parental leave in the uk
the research
Across the UK, there are over three million single parents. Yet parental leave policy remains rooted in outdated assumptions of two-parent households, leaving single parents excluded, under-supported and disproportionately at risk of poverty.
To uncover the reality, we surveyed over 800 single parents and reviewed wider evidence. The findings are clear: the system is not fit for purpose.
Key Findings
The system is designed for couples, not single parents
Statutory pay is unliveable – 80% said maternity/adoption pay was not enough to live on and 66% want pay raised to at least the National Living Wage.
Eligibility rules disproportionally exclude single parents leaving many with no maternity/adoption pay, and many others reliant on lower paid Maternity Allowance
Financial pressures cut leave short – 36% of respondents took less than 9 months off, despite most wanting longer; over half reported severe financial strain during leave.
Employers matter – 60% felt supported at work, but this rose to 75% among those with enhanced pay, showing how workplace policy plays a key role.
Single parents want equity – 95% believe they should be entitled to the combined family entitlement of leave and pay.
what needs to change
We need a bold redesign of parental leave – a “New Parent Leave” system – to ensure fairness, flexibility, and child-centred support which should include:
Universal leave system: 58 weeks of family leave, with higher-paid elements at the start and elements ring-fenced for co-parents/couples – or fully allocated to solo parents.
Fair pay: 18 weeks at 90% of earnings, then at least the National Living Wage.
Flexibility: Leave that can be taken in chunks across the child’s first five years.
Extra support: Additional leave for adoptive parents, parents of multiples, and parents of babies in neonatal care, fully allocated to solo parents where no partner is involved.
Legal protection: Add single parents as a protected characteristic under the Equality Act.
Employer action: Inclusive language, equitable pay, and champions for single parents within leadership teams.
report, briefing and press release
You can download the full report, our broader Parental Leave briefing and the press release for our report below.
VIEWS FROM SINGLE PARENTS
These are comments single parents made during our research about their own experiences with parental leave and pay.
financial strain
“I don’t know how anyone is expected to survive on maternity pay – can’t be done.”
“[It’s] an embarrassment for everyone but it is especially hard on single parents who have zero other income.”
“[I] ended up using all of my savings and running up credit card debt.”
“For the last three months I had to count every penny and do dog sitting to cover my food bills. I delayed my baby's weaning to solid foods to keep the bills down because breastfeeding was free.”
“On top of navigating postnatal depression and PTSD, my mental health was shattered. Every essential purchase; nappies, formula, groceries, fuel, utility bills, triggered anxiety about money.”
“I had to resume some work after four months only which was far sooner than wanted and not best for baby. Depleted family savings and caused money worries at a precious time.”
eligibility gaps
“I would have been able to feed me and my child instead of only making the choice to keep lights on. I wouldn’t have used food banks.”
“I was on a career break when I got pregnant and nearly didn’t qualify for any maternity allowance/pay, which would have been ridiculous seeing as I pre-July worked and paid taxes for 20 years. Having your benefits tied to what you happen to be working at during pregnancy itself is random and not particularly fair.”
“Those who are self-employed are not entitled to any adoption leave, making it even harder for that group to choose to adopt.”
lack of support
“It was the single most stressful experience of my life – it’s hard for any new parent but doing the vast majority of it solo had a huge impact on my mental and physical health.”
“I felt very vulnerable and unsupported [during maternity leave]. It was supposed to be amazing, and it was terrible.”
“[A]s a new mum I did not enjoy time with my baby due to lack of support, lack of sleep and unable to afford to join baby groups which were expensive.”
“I’m still very upset that I wasn't able to take a longer period of maternity leave due to my financial situation… I feel like I was robbed of that time.”
inequalities across groups
“I am a teacher. Teachers in couples can take shared parental leave allowing for them to be paid for the school holidays… Solo parents are discriminated against.”
“Twins and higher order multiples need special consideration. It’s physically and mentally harder being a parent of twins (or more)… Yet everything is set up only for singletons.”
“A single parent should also get a partner’s neonatal care leave. Decisions are clearly being made based on couples, single parents are at a disadvantage and are being left out.”
paternity and non-transferable leave
“Maybe flexible leave so the other parent has them one day per week as I doubt many mums are comfortable being separated from their baby for weeks at a time when they're so tiny.”
“My mum took two weeks annual leave so she could be there to support me. We had some difficulties with her boss about this and having this as a formal option would have really eased the stress.”
“I would have liked to have added it in to my own leave!”
“It’s about the child not the parent – if the child is entitled to 52 weeks of a caregiver at home that should apply regardless of how many parents the child has.”
“We know being a parent is hard and birthing a child a significant physical act… Equity in leave and potential for friend support would help to alleviate some of the huge challenges of being a solo parent.”
The Case for Reform
“The whole system is unfit. Children’s care needs should be at the centre of the review and parents should receive the support they need to provide the level of care children deserve. We can’t continue tweaking a system designed for the family structures of the 1960s.”
“It’s important to realise that as a solo parent you are bearing the costs – financial, emotional and physical – of parenting usually performed by two adults, alone.”