Maternity leave IN EUROPE
WEEKS OF DECENTLY-PAID MATERNITY LEAVE OFFERED IN EACH COUNTRY
THE UK has some of the worst-paid maternity leave in Europe, with experts claiming “parents are forced back to work early to pay the bills”.
British mothers currently receive 90% of their average weekly earnings in statutory maternity pay for the first six weeks of their leave.
However, although employed mothers in the UK are entitled to a maternity allowance for 39 weeks in total, the sum is restricted after these six weeks. For the remaining 33 weeks of their statutory maternity pay, they can only claim £139.58 a week, or 90% of their average weekly earnings - whichever is lower. Meanwhile, a report from the Trades Union Congress (TUC) says most new mums in Europe are given decently-paid maternity leave for considerably longer. The TUC says decently-paid maternity leave is at least two-thirds of a woman’s earnings - or a minimum of £840 a month.
And while the UK has a relatively generous period of maternity leave compared to other countries, the leave is not decently-paid for long.
In fact, the UK has the second-worst level of maternity pay of the 23 European countries surveyed that offer statutory maternity leave.
Only Ireland is below the UK because mums there don’t get any decently-paid maternity leave at all.
Mums in Croatia, on the other hand, get a whopping 26 weeks of decently-paid postnatal maternity leave.
Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Poland all get at least 20 weeks of decently-paid leave, too.
TUC’s general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “The UK is in the relegation zone when it comes to decently-paid maternity leave.
“Many Europeans countries offer decent support to new mums. But lots of parents here are forced back to work early to pay the bills.
“My advice to all new mums is to join a union. It is the best way to improve your pay and conditions.”
Ros Bragg, director of UK charity Maternity Action, said: “Without adequate maternity pay, women’s choices are limited and many cannot afford to take their leave entitlements. “We should be investing in support for pregnant women and new families.” A government spokesperson said: “Our statutory maternity pay is among the most generous in Europe as most mothers are entitled to 39 weeks – nearly three times the amount required by the EU. “Our system is fair to both mothers and their employers, meanwhile Shared Parental Leave gives parents more flexibility.”