Recent data has found that the number of 'stay-at-home' mothers has fallen to almost a record low.

In the three months to February, there were just 2.062 million women at home, according to the Office for National Statistics. The latest figures for the three months to March showed that there were 2.063 million in this position.

It is thought that pressure from the recession has pushed more women into looking for work who would otherwise be at home with their children.

However, working from home might offer a helpful alternative to mothers who are keen not to leave their children. A lot of jobs can be done from home, allowing them time to keep an eye on their children and work around their family commitments.

John Philpott, an economist at the Jobs Economist, spoke to the Telegraph about the findings. He suggested that men are being “hit hardest” by the change in the economy: “Men and people on temporary contracts or working as self-employed contractors are being hit hardest by this latest bout of weakness in the job market, suggesting that employers are primarily making adjustments to the flexible component of the workforce in the face economic uncertainty.”

This decrease in employment among men could explain why more women are looking for work to support their families.