06/03/2026
The motherhood penalty builds quietly over time.
âCareer versus children is one of the biggest financial decisions youâll ever make - so why isnât it talked about more openly?
When I had my children, I took a career break and later returned to work part time.
That was when I trained as a teacher, so my work life fitted around my family, and I could spend more time with my children.
I wouldnât go back and change a thing.
But I would have liked to have fully understood the long-term financial impact of that decision.
Mothers lose an average of £65,618 in pay by the time their first child turns fiveš. Many take career breaks or reduce their hours as their children grow up.
Over time, the snowball effect this drop in earnings has on pensions shouldnât be underestimated.
Women nearing retirement now have, on average, nearly half as much in their private pensions as men².
â¤ď¸ Time with your children matters.
But if you decide to stop working or reduce your hours, you deserve to understand the options available to you to help protect your pension and your financial independence.
Awareness doesnât mean regret.ďż˝It means choice.
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The value of an investment can go down as well as up. You may get back less than the amount invested.
Frizzell Wealth Management Ltd is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. Jamesâs Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority).
SJP Approved 05/03/2026
š ons.gov.uk, The impact of motherhood on monthly employee earnings and employment status, England: April 2014 to December 2022, released 3 October 2025�² gov.uk, Gender Pensions Gap in Private Pensions: 2020 to 2022, published, 21 July 2025