Single mums significantly more likely to take time off for stress

Single mums are significantly more likely to have taken time off work due to mental health problems, according to an analysis of workingmums.co.uk’s annual survey.

The survey of over 2,000 mums shows 43% of single mums have taken time off work for mental health issues, including anxiety, stress and depression since having children. This compares with 26% of other mums. In both cases it was mainly due to a combination of work and family issues.

Interestingly, on other figures relating to work life single mums and others are very similar:

• 34% of single mums have progressed their careers since having children [15% a lot and 32% not at all] compared to 33% for other mums [11% of whom had progressed a lot and 32% not at all]
• 59% of single mums said they had enough flexibility in their current job, compared with 56% of other mums.

Twenty six per cent of both single and other mums worked full time with no flexibility, while slightly fewer single mums worked full time in total – 57% compared to 59%. Twelve per cent of single mums worked some of the week or wholly from home compared to 11% of other mums.

Single mums were slightly more likely to feel stuck in the job they were currently in [80% as against 78%], but single mums were slightly less likely to feel very stuck.

Fewer single mums needed to have flexible working to take a job – 28% compared to 30% of other mums. And single mums were slightly more likely to have considered starting their own business – 56% compared to 53%.

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