London, Monday 9 March 2026: Nearly two-thirds (62%) of self-employed women fail to calculate how maternity leave could affect their long-term retirement savings, according to new research from PensionBee.
Within this group, 36% have not thought about it at all and 26% have thought about it but not carried out the calculations. Only 18% say they have completed detailed planning. Almost half of respondents (47%) either reduce their pension contributions or stop saving altogether. Just over one third (36%) maintain the same level of pension contributions while on maternity.
Among women who reduce contributions, 28% say household expenses are the main reason and 20% point to lower income during maternity leave. Others say they are unsure what they can afford to save or lack confidence in their pension knowledge. The result is uncertainty about the future. 40% say they do not know whether maternity leave will leave them financially behind in retirement, while more than a third (37%) believe it will.
The findings suggest that disengagement is not the main issue. One in four women surveyed say they are planning maternity leave within the next twelve months, creating a clear window for support and guidance.
Earlier PensionBee research on the self-employed has also found strong willingness to save for the future when barriers are reduced, with many open to adjusting other forms of saving if pension options feel clearer and more manageable.
Maike Currie, VP Personal Finance at PensionBee comments: “Maternity leave is one of the moments when the gaps in the pension system become most pronounced - with career breaks the biggest contributing factor to the gender pension gap.
“Most self-employed women want to keep saving, but the combination of lower income, the absence of employer contributions and uncertainty about living expenses and affordability make it challenging.”
“Meanwhile, the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show the number of women in self-employment in the last quarter of 2025 is at the highest recorded since mid-2020, with many choosing this path to fit work around caring responsibilities and to gain some flexibility.
“The so-called ‘motherhood penalty’ continues to damage women’s long-term pension savings, most notably for the self-employed. There is a growing need to design a system that accounts for irregular income and life events such as maternity leave, with the needed guidance and support to boot. Auto-enrolment is a system designed around the payroll and formal employment, leaving the growing number of self-employed women falling outside of the net.
“Even small pension contributions during maternity leave continue to benefit from tax relief and investment growth over time. Planning contributions on either side of maternity leave can also make a meaningful difference, and it is important to remember that someone else can still contribute £2,800 into a pension on your behalf, allowing you to benefit from the £720 government tax relief top up.”
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