How much maternity pay will I get in the UK?

Statutory Maternity Pay is 90% of your average weekly earnings for the first 6 weeks, then the lower of the flat statutory rate or 90% of your earnings for the next 33 weeks, then unpaid for the final weeks. Many employers add enhanced (occupational) pay on top.

What is the qualifying week for maternity pay?

The qualifying week is the 15th week before the week your baby is due. You usually need 26 weeks of continuous employment by then to qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay.

Is maternity pay taxed?

Yes, maternity pay is taxed through PAYE and National Insurance like normal pay. Because your income drops during leave, you often receive tax refunds through the year as your tax-free allowance builds up.

UK Maternity Pay & Take-Home Planner

Week-by-week maternity pay and monthly take-home after tax, NI, pension and Child Benefit. 2024/25–2026/27, England/Wales/NI & Scotland. Follows HMRC's relevant-period method; SMP rate follows the tax year.

Fill in the yellow boxes — everything else is optional.

1. Your dates

Baby due date needed (from your MATB1 / scan) Maternity leave start date needed How long will you take off?

Spread my pay evenly across the leave

Or set start from due date

Leave starts the day after your chosen last working day, that many weeks before your due date.

2. Pay & tax

Tax year (leave start)

Where you live

Annual gross salary (£) needed How are you paid?

Average weekly earnings (for SMP) How should we work out AWE?

Pay rise during leave (optional)

Pay rise date New annual salary (£)

Lifts contractual full/half pay from this date. SMP stays on your qualifying-week earnings.

3. Enhanced (occupational) pay

Do you qualify? Employment start date Service your employer requires (years)

Override: I qualify

Your policy

Weeks at full pay

Weeks at half pay

During half-pay weeks

4. Pension

Employee contribution (% of pay)

Basis

Tax treatment

When do contributions stop?

5. Family & Child Benefit

Number of children to claim Child Benefit for

Someone in the household earns over £60,000

Child Benefit is paid to you whatever you earn, but if the higher earner is over £60k some is clawed back (all of it by £80k).

Your key dates

Eligibility

Summary over your leave

Month-by-month

on leave back at work normal pay tax refund

Tax month	Yr	Gross	Pension	Tax	NI	Take-home	Child Ben.	Total

Income chart

Week-by-week maternity pay (52 weeks)

Week	Starting	Pay type	Gross / week

How this is worked out

Disclaimer. This planner provides estimates to help you plan and is not financial, legal or tax advice. Figures use published HMRC, gov.uk and gov.scot rates (verified June 2026) and standard statutory rules. Your employer's policy, your payroll's exact method, and your personal circumstances can produce different results — always check your contract, your payslips and the latest guidance on gov.uk, and seek professional advice for important decisions. Statutory Maternity Pay, tax, National Insurance, pension and Child Benefit rates change each April.

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