On 27 May, the highly respected Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) expressed concern that pressure on working mothers (employees) during lockdown could halt progress in reducing the gender pay gap. Throughout the crisis, mothers have significantly reduced their working hours to take care of their children and undertake household chores and in most cases are doing both at the same time. The IFS is warning both that this situation could perpetuate after the health crisis, and that mothers are also more likely to be laid off during the pandemic.
Results of the online study of 3,500 parents conducted between 29 April and 15 May, called ‘How are mothers and fathers balancing work and family under lockdown?’ show that UK mothers are one and a half times more likely to be laid off during lockdown than fathers and that they are also 14% more likely to be furloughed. Furthermore, striking inequalities exist in the distribution of tasks carried out in the home. During the pandemic all UK parents have seen their paid working hours decrease yet
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