Press Releases

Only seven per cent of men would be prepared to stay at home with a newborn if the government replaced maternity benefits with parental ones, according to a survey for the BBC Two series The Trouble With Working Women.

And even fewer women wanted dads to replace them: just 4%.

Fifty-four per cent said they thought men are still the main breadwinners in a family. But most people – 67% – don't think they should be.

The survey of 1,000 members of the public, commissioned by the programme in conjunction with Gfk NOP, also reveals that two-thirds of working mums interviewed said they continue to work out of necessity, not choice.

The two-part programme will be broadcast tonight and tomorrow night (Monday 18 & Tuesday 19 May 2009) on BBC Two at 9.00pm.

Nearly one in five women (19%) believe they have experienced sex discrimination in the workplace and the majority believes that it is still a man's world at work – especially women with 59% - – according to the survey. Twice as many men than women who were surveyed have asked for a pay rise in the last five years.

Sophie Raworth, who presents the series alongside Justin Rowlatt, said: "What has surprised me about making this programme is the impact on women's earnings if they decide to have children.

"Women and men level-peg on pay in their twenties. Once they hit 30 the gap starts to widen – by the time they're in their forties the average woman is earning 20% less than a man.

"I think it's no coincidence that the gap starts widening when women tend to settle down and have children.

"And, interestingly, women who don't have children tend to continue earning virtually the same as men as they continue in their careers."

Other facts revealed by the series include:

• Over a quarter (28%) of all women with university degrees are childless on their 40th birthdays [1]
• In terms of hard cash: every full-time working woman in the UK is paid on average, across their career, £369,000 less than a man [2]
• Men dominate 87% of the top jobs in business [3]
• At the age of 20 men and women are level-pegging. By the age of 30, the gap has grown and women are paid on average 7% less than men. But, by the age of 40, that gap has grown enormously to 20% less than men [4]
• The vast majority of women with under-fives do take a step down in their career: be it in terms of responsibility or hours worked. Before children, 85% of working women are full time; this falls to 34% of working mothers with pre school children [5]
• Women often value themselves on average £10,000 less than men when it comes to salary. An academic test conducted every year for the last seven years by Professor of Work Psychology Marilyn Davidson at Manchester Business School asks 100+ students each year what they expect to earn in five years. Men consistently value themselves £10,000 more than women do.

Cherie Booth, Harriet Harman, Erin Pizzey, Michelle Moan and Rosie Boycott are all interviewed as part of the series.

Notes to Editors

The Gfk NOP survey for the BBC was carried out between 20 and 22 February 2009 across the UK and surveyed 1,000 adults all of whom were aged 16 and above.

[1] Source: ONS

[2] Source: From the 2008 sex and power report by Equality Report

[3] Source: From the 2008 sex and power report by Equality Report

[4] Source: ONS

[5] Source: From the 2008 sex and power report by Equality Report Charlotte Cormack.

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