COVID-19 has significantly impacted labor markets across the world. This study examines how fertility status influences the gender wage gap in the UK and whether this impact has changed during the pandemic. Utilizing the data from UK’s Labour Force Survey (LFS) from 2016 to 2023, the study employs ordinary least squares (OLS) and fixed effects regression models to examine the relationship between labor market outcomes and fertility status. The findings reveal a strong correlation between parenthood and the gender wage inequality, with women experiencing a motherhood penalty and men benefiting from a fatherhood premium. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have slightly mitigated this inequality, but only to a certain extent. This study contributes to understanding gender wage inequality influenced by fertility decisions in the context of a global economic crisis.