What Mums Need to Know in 2026
If you have been searching for flexible work in the UK and feeling like you are wading through a swamp of misleading job descriptions, low-paid roles, and employers who say flexible but mean anything but — this post is for you.
There is a lot of noise around flexible working in the UK right now. Legislative changes, employer rhetoric, LinkedIn posts about the future of work. Underneath all of that is a more useful and more honest picture of what is actually available, what it pays, and how to find it.
Here is what mums actually need to know.
The Legal Landscape Has Changed — But Not as Much as You Think
In April 2024, the UK introduced the right to request flexible working from day one of employment. Previously, employees had to wait 26 weeks before making a request. This was widely reported as a landmark change for working parents.
The important caveat: it is the right to request, not the right to receive. Employers can still decline flexible working requests if they have a legitimate business reason. They must respond within two months and consider the request fairly — but they are not obligated to agree.
What this change does mean practically: you can now raise the conversation about flexibility during a job offer stage without being told you need to wait six months. The conversation is legitimate from the start. That changes the dynamic, even if it does not guarantee the outcome.
The employers who welcome this conversation are the right employers for you. The ones who bristle at it will tell you everything you need to know about what working there would actually be like.
What Flexible Working Actually Looks Like in 2026
Flexible working is not one thing. Understanding the different models helps you be specific about what you need — which makes you more likely to find it and more credible when you ask for it.
Remote working means you work from home or another location outside the employer's premises, either full-time or on a hybrid basis. Full remote roles exist across many sectors — technology, finance, marketing, digital, education, and professional services. The pandemic normalised this and, despite some headline-grabbing return-to-office mandates, a significant proportion of UK roles remain genuinely remote or hybrid.
Hybrid working means a split between home and office — typically two to three days in office per week. This is now the most common flexible model in the UK, particularly in large organisations.
Flexible hours means you have some control over when you work, rather than being tied to strict 9-5 hours. This could mean starting and finishing earlier to accommodate school pick-up, or having core hours in the middle of the day with flexibility around the edges.
Part-time working means contracted hours below 37.5 per week — which is considered full-time in most UK organisations. Part-time roles exist at all levels, including senior and professional positions, though they are less common at very senior levels and often require some negotiation.
Term-time only means you work during school terms and have unpaid leave during school holidays. This model is more common in schools, local government, and some voluntary sector organisations than in the private sector.
Job share means two people split one full-time role between them, each working part-time. This is still relatively rare but is gaining ground in some sectors.
The Myths That Are Costing Mums Opportunities
Several persistent myths about flexible working lead mums to undersell themselves, apply for the wrong roles, or not apply at all.
Myth one: Flexible jobs do not pay well.
This was true a decade ago. It is not reliably true now. Flexible and remote roles in technology, finance, marketing, project management, HR, and professional services regularly pay £35,000 to £70,000 and above. The gap between flexible and office-based salaries has narrowed significantly as employers have competed for talent in a remote-normalised market. The key is knowing where to look.
Myth two: You have to step down to work flexibly.
You do not. There are senior, well-paid roles at every level that offer genuine flexibility — hybrid, remote, or reduced hours. The challenge is finding them, not qualifying for them. Roles that combine seniority with flexibility are less commonly advertised on general job boards and more often found through specialist platforms, direct employer searches, and professional networks.
Myth three: Asking for flexibility upfront will cost you the job offer.
Handled correctly, it will not. The question is not whether to raise it but when and how. In most cases, the best moment is after you have received a job offer — when the employer has already decided they want you. At that stage, a clear, confident conversation about your preferred working pattern is far more likely to succeed than the same conversation at first interview.
Myth four: Flexible working is only for part-time or entry-level roles.
Senior project managers, finance directors, marketing leads, HR business partners, technology architects — all of these roles exist in flexible forms. The issue is visibility. These roles are not always easy to find on general job boards, which is part of why Mum Hours UK exists.
Where to Actually Find Flexible UK Jobs
General job boards such as Indeed and Totaljobs list some flexible roles, but they are not optimised for this type of search. More useful options:
mumhours.co.uk — we curate flexible, remote, hybrid and part-time UK jobs daily, specifically for mums and skilled women. Every role on our board has been checked for genuine flexibility, not just flexible-in-name.
Timewise — a specialist UK platform focused on flexible and part-time professional roles.
Flexa — a platform where employers are verified for genuine flexible working culture before listing roles.
LinkedIn Jobs — filter by remote, hybrid, or flexible. Set up alerts. Follow companies known for flexible cultures and check their job pages directly.
Direct employer careers pages — identify employers with strong flexible working reputations and check their careers pages weekly. Many roles are listed directly with employers before reaching the aggregators.
What to Say When You Ask for Flexibility
If flexibility is not stated in the job description, the best time to raise it is at the offer stage. Here is a framework that works:
"I am really excited about this role and I would love to accept. Before I do, I wanted to have a brief conversation about working pattern. Based on my personal situation, I work most effectively with [two days working from home per week / a flexible start and finish around core hours / a four-day week]. Is that something we could explore?"
Specific, positive, professional. Not apologetic. Not pre-emptively defensive. A request, not a negotiation.
If the answer is no and the role requires full-time office attendance, you have learned something important — and you have saved yourself from a job that would not have worked for your life.
Find Your Flexible Job
New flexible, remote and hybrid UK jobs curated every day at mumhours.co.uk. Follow @mumhoursuk on Instagram and TikTok for daily job picks, career advice, and tips specifically for mums navigating the UK job market.
Mum Hours UK is a flexible job board and career service for mums and skilled women in the UK. We curate flexible, remote, hybrid and sponsored UK jobs daily at mumhours.co.uk.