Maternity Action is the UKs maternity rights charity dedicated to promoting, protecting and enhancing the rights of all pregnant women, new mothers and their families to employment, social security and health care.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone, but has had a disproportionate impact on those already facing poverty and inequality. Among them are the pregnant women and new parents who are the focus of Maternity Actions work.

Our Maternity Rights Advice Line, which provides free, expert telephone advice on employment rights and benefits, has seen a dramatic increase in demand this year. We are speaking to hundreds of women dealing with unsafe working conditions, wrongly being placed on sick leave or unpaid leave, refusal of furlough, and unfair redundancy.

Our advisers answered a total of 2,500 calls this year . With your help, we can respond to more women who need sound and reliable legal advice to fight for their rights at work.