Maternity leave costs UK women £3.2bn in earnings

Women taking maternity leave collectively lose out on £3.2bn worth of earnings, a fall of nearly half their average annual salary, new research from Direct Line Life Insurance has revealed. According to HR data, the average maternity leave comprises 30.5 weeks of fully paid and reduced pay leave which amounts to a total of £13,545 for the average annual salary for a first-time mother in the UK (£27,687). The remaining 8.5 weeks, covered by statutory maternity pay (£151.20 a week), adds another £1,290 to create a total of £14,835 for mothers who take a full year's leave. This is £12,85...