Working mothers left with little after paying childcare bills

October 19, 2009 by Shawn Douglas
Filed under: News

Working mothers have an average of only £67 after expenses according to a recent UK survey.

A survey of 2000 working women may lead some to question whether it’s worth it for mothers to work.

The study—conducted by Stylist magazine—found that more than four in ten working mothers are left with just 10 percent of their salaries after childcare expenses are deducted. Additionally, working women with children under the age of four averaged only £67 a week after expenses; women without children averaged a take home of £172, nearly two and a half times that of mothers.

And while costs went down when children reached school age, there was still a drain on resources with working mothers of older children still averaging only £115 a week extra.

Lisa Smosarki, editor of Stylist magazine, told the Daily Mail, “Going to work is an expensive business for women. But for those with young children it’s incredibly draining because childcare costs eat up such a huge amount of their salary.”

“No wonder so many full time working women with young children are now questioning whether the amount of money they have left at the end of the working week is worth it.”

“On a positive note, it seems part-time hourly rates are catching up with full-time ones.”