Maternity and paternity pay calculator 2026-27
Work out your Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) and Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) for 2026-27. SMP is 90% of your average weekly earnings for 6 weeks, then £194.32 a week or 90% of earnings, whichever is lower, for 33 weeks. SPP is £194.32 or 90% of earnings, whichever is lower, for 1 or 2 weeks. Enter the due date and your earnings to see your qualifying week, whether you're eligible, the key dates and a week-by-week schedule. It follows GOV.UK's rules and rounding. Jump to paternity pay. New to maternity or paternity pay? Read the full guide.
Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)
Usually the first day of maternity leave. Clear it to see amounts only.
Checks the 26-week rule.
Usually 8 if you're paid weekly.
Shows the 8-week period your earnings come from.
Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP)
Can't be before the birth.
Only if you take the 2 weeks separately.
Checks the 26-week rule for pay.
Usually 8 if you're paid weekly.
2026-27 rates at a glance
| Payment | Weekly amount 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| SMP, first 6 weeks | 90% of average weekly earnings (no upper limit) |
| SMP, next 33 weeks | £194.32 or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower |
| Statutory Paternity Pay (1 or 2 weeks) | £194.32 or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower |
| Statutory Shared Parental Pay | £194.32 or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower |
| Lower Earnings Limit (to qualify) | £129 a week on average |
90% of earnings is lower than £194.32 when your average weekly earnings are £215.91 or less. The SMP rate applies from 5 April 2026 and the others from 6 April 2026. The rates for April 2027 onwards aren't published yet.
How maternity and paternity pay are worked out
- The qualifying week is the 15th week before the week your baby is due. Weeks run Sunday to Saturday, so the "week baby due" starts on the Sunday on or before the due date.
- Who gets SMP: employees who have worked for their employer continuously for at least 26 weeks continuing into the qualifying week, are on the payroll in that week, earn on average at least the Lower Earnings Limit (£129 a week in 2026-27; it's the limit in force at the end of your qualifying week), and give the right notice and proof of pregnancy (a doctor's or midwife's letter or MATB1 certificate within 21 days of the SMP start date).
- Who gets SPP: the father, or the mother's husband or partner (including same-sex partners), or an intended parent through surrogacy, taking time off to look after the child, with 26 weeks' continuous employment up to any day in the qualifying week, still employed up to the birth, and earning at least £129 a week on average.
- Average weekly earnings come from the relevant period, usually the 8 weeks up to your last normal payday on or before the Saturday of the qualifying week. Weekly paid: total ÷ weeks. Monthly paid: total ÷ months × 12 ÷ 52. Only earnings Class 1 National Insurance is due on (or would be) count, and the figure isn't rounded.
- SMP is paid for 39 weeks: 90% of average weekly earnings for the first 6 weeks, then £194.32 or 90% (whichever is lower). SMP weeks start on the day your SMP starts, which can be any day of the week. GOV.UK's calculator rounds each payment up to the penny, and so does this one, week by week.
- SPP is £194.32 or 90% of average weekly earnings (whichever is lower) for 1 or 2 whole weeks. The 2 weeks can be together or separate, but leave can't start before the birth and must end within 52 weeks of it.
- Leave: Statutory Maternity Leave is 52 weeks (26 weeks ordinary, 26 additional) and doesn't depend on length of service or pay. It can start up to 11 weeks before the week baby's due, and you must take 2 weeks after the birth (4 if you work in a factory). Paternity Leave is 1 or 2 weeks, and from 6 April 2026 it's a day-one right.
- Not eligible? Your employer gives you form SMP1 (maternity) or SPP1 (paternity). You may get Maternity Allowance instead of SMP: up to 39 weeks at £194.32 or 90% of earnings if you're employed, or £27 to £194.32 if you're self-employed.
- Sharing leave: with Shared Parental Leave and Pay, parents can share up to 50 weeks of leave and 37 weeks of pay by ending maternity leave and pay early.
- Employers can usually reclaim 92% of statutory maternity and paternity pay from HMRC, or 109% if their Class 1 National Insurance for the previous tax year was £45,000 or less. They can pay more than the statutory amounts under a company scheme, but never less.
Read the full maternity and paternity pay guide for the qualifying week explained with GOV.UK's date table, Maternity Allowance vs SMP, separate paternity weeks, Shared Parental Leave and holiday during leave.
This calculator assumes one job, a single birth and a normal pay pattern. Special rules apply if your baby is born before or during the qualifying week, for very premature births, adoption and some employment types (agency workers, directors, educational workers): use GOV.UK's calculator for employers or ask your employer. In Northern Ireland, check Statutory Maternity Pay and Statutory Paternity Pay on nidirect, as some rules differ.
Sources: Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027, Maternity pay and leave, Statutory Maternity Pay and Leave: employer guide, Paternity pay and leave, Statutory Paternity Pay and Leave: employer guide, Work out your employee's payments for Statutory Maternity Pay, Statutory Paternity Pay: manually calculate your employee's payments, SMP table of dates, SPP table of dates (birth), Maternity Allowance, Shared Parental Leave and Pay. Checked 18 October 2026. This page gives the statutory minimum only and isn't legal advice. If you disagree with your employer about the amount, ask them to explain it first, then contact HMRC's Statutory Payment Disputes Team; Acas can also help.
Worked examples
Maternity pay, earning over the flat rate
Sophie's average weekly earnings in her relevant period were £600. For the first 6 weeks she gets 90% of that, £540.00 a week (£3,240.00). 90% is more than £194.32, so for the other 33 weeks she gets £194.32 a week (£6,412.56). Her total Statutory Maternity Pay is £9,652.56 over 39 weeks, before tax and National Insurance.
Maternity pay on part-time monthly pay
Hannah is paid £800 a month. Her average weekly earnings are £800 × 12 ÷ 52 = £184.6154 (GOV.UK doesn't round this to the penny), which is above the £129 Lower Earnings Limit. 90% of that is £166.1538, lower than £194.32, so every one of her 39 weeks pays 90% of her earnings: £166.16 a week after rounding up to the penny. Her total is £6,480.24.
Paternity pay for 2 weeks
Tom earns £450 a week. 90% is £405.00, more than £194.32, so his Statutory Paternity Pay is £194.32 a week, £388.64 for 2 weeks. He can take them together or as 2 separate weeks, as long as both are finished within 52 weeks of the birth. If he earned £180 a week, he'd get 90%, £162.00 a week, or £324.00 for 2 weeks.
Figures from the calculator on this page at the 2026-27 rates. Each assumes no company maternity or paternity pay on top.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Statutory Maternity Pay in 2026-27?
Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is paid for up to 39 weeks. For the first 6 weeks you get 90% of your average weekly earnings, with no upper limit. For the remaining 33 weeks you get £194.32 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower. The £194.32 rate applies from 5 April 2026. SMP is paid like your wages, with Income Tax and National Insurance deducted.
How much is Statutory Paternity Pay in 2026-27?
Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) is £194.32 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower, for 1 or 2 weeks. It's paid by your employer in the same way as your wages, with tax and National Insurance deducted.
Who qualifies for Statutory Maternity Pay?
You must earn on average at least £129 a week before tax (the Lower Earnings Limit for 2026-27), have worked for your employer continuously for at least 26 weeks continuing into the qualifying week, give the correct notice and give proof that you're pregnant. The qualifying week is the 15th week before the week your baby is due. Statutory Maternity Leave of 52 weeks doesn't depend on how long you've worked there or how much you earn.
How are average weekly earnings worked out for maternity and paternity pay?
Your employer adds up the earnings paid to you in the relevant period, usually the 8 weeks before the qualifying week. It ends with your last normal payday on or before the Saturday of the qualifying week and starts the day after the last normal payday at least 8 weeks earlier. It includes all earnings Class 1 National Insurance is due on (or would be, if you earned enough). Weekly paid employees divide by the number of weeks, usually 8. Monthly paid employees divide by the number of months, multiply by 12 and divide by 52. The result isn't rounded.
When can maternity leave and SMP start?
Usually no earlier than 11 weeks before the week your baby is due. Leave and pay start automatically if you're off work with a pregnancy-related illness in the 4 weeks before the week the baby is due, or the day after the birth if your baby is born early. You must take at least 2 weeks off after the birth (4 weeks if you work in a factory).
What notice do I need to give my employer?
For maternity leave, tell your employer at least 15 weeks before your due date when the baby is due and when you want your leave to start. For SMP, give at least 28 days' notice of the date you want it to start, and proof of the pregnancy within 21 days of that date: a letter from your doctor or midwife or your MATB1 certificate, which you can get up to 20 weeks before the due date. For paternity leave, tell your employer the due date at least 15 weeks before it, and give 28 days' notice of when you want your leave to start and whether it's 1 or 2 weeks.
What if I don't qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay?
Your employer must give you form SMP1 explaining why, within 7 days of making their decision. You may be able to get Maternity Allowance from the government instead, for up to 39 weeks. If you're employed or recently stopped working it's £194.32 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is less. If you're self-employed it's between £27 and £194.32 a week, depending on your Class 2 National Insurance contributions. For Paternity Pay, your employer uses form SPP1 to tell you why you don't qualify.
Can I take paternity leave as 2 separate weeks?
Yes, in England, Scotland and Wales. You can take 1 week or 2 weeks, either together or as 2 separate one-week blocks. A week means the number of days you normally work in a week. Leave can't start before the birth and must end within 52 weeks of the birth (or of the due date if the baby is early). In Northern Ireland the rules are different: paternity leave and pay must be taken as 1 week or 2 weeks together within 56 days of the birth, so check nidirect.
Is paternity leave a day-one right now?
Yes. From 6 April 2026 employees can take Paternity Leave from their first day of employment. Statutory Paternity Pay still has conditions: you need to have worked for your employer continuously for at least 26 weeks up to any day in the qualifying week, still be employed by them up to the birth and earn at least £129 a week on average.
Can my employer pay more, and what about Shared Parental Leave?
Yes. Statutory pay is the legal minimum, and many employers have a company maternity or paternity scheme that pays more, so check your contract. They can't pay you less than the statutory amount. If you end your maternity leave and pay early, you and your partner may be able to share up to 50 weeks of Shared Parental Leave and up to 37 weeks of Statutory Shared Parental Pay, which is also £194.32 a week or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower.
Other pay calculators
Off sick before the baby arrives? The Statutory Sick Pay calculator works out SSP for 2026-27 (you can't get SSP while you're getting SMP). Holiday keeps building up during maternity and paternity leave: work it out with the holiday entitlement calculator. Back at work? The take-home pay calculator shows your pay after tax, and the Tax-Free Childcare calculator shows the government top-up on nursery bills.
Budget for maternity leave
Months on statutory pay can mean a much smaller payslip. The Household Bills & Budget Planner (£7, Excel and Google Sheets) lists every bill, however often it's paid, turns it into one monthly figure and shows what's left, so you can plan for the drop in income before the baby arrives.
Get the bills & budget planner (£7)Prefer free? Try the bills monthly cost calculator.