Maternity Pay Calculator

You’ve probably got a rough idea that maternity pay drops after a while, but the actual numbers are what matter when you’re planning a budget. This maternity pay calculator takes your average weekly earnings and works out your Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) across all 39 paid weeks, using the current 2026/27 rates. No sign-up, no email address, just the figures.

SMP is the legal minimum your employer has to pay if you qualify. Plenty of employers pay more through occupational or enhanced schemes, but this maternity pay calculator shows the statutory floor — so you know the worst case and can plan from there.

In short: Statutory Maternity Pay is 90% of your average weekly earnings for the first 6 weeks (with no cap), then £194.32 a week — or 90% of your earnings if that’s lower — for 33 more weeks. To qualify you need 26 weeks’ continuous service with the same employer and average weekly earnings of at least £129.

How this maternity pay calculator works

SMP is paid in two stages, and the formula is the same for everyone:

• Weeks 1 to 6: 90% of your average weekly earnings, with no upper cap. This is the bit that catches people out — there is no maximum for the first six weeks.
• Weeks 7 to 39: whichever is lower out of £194.32 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings.

So:

Weeks 1-6 = 0.90 × average weekly earnings
Weeks 7-39 = lower of £194.32 or (0.90 × average weekly earnings)

Your average weekly earnings are worked out by your employer from your pay in the weeks leading up to your qualifying week. That’s why the figure the calculator asks for is your average — not just what your last payslip said. If your hours vary, bonuses or overtime are usually included, so it’s worth asking payroll what figure they’re using if you want the calculator’s estimate to match theirs exactly.

2026/27 SMP rates

Detail	2026/27 figure
Weeks 1-6	90% of average weekly earnings (no cap)
Weeks 7-39	£194.32/week or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower
Total paid weeks	39
Minimum average earnings to qualify	£129/week
Minimum continuous service	26 weeks by the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth
Tax treatment	SMP is taxable earnings — Income Tax and NI apply via payroll as normal

Do you qualify for SMP?

Two tests, and you need to pass both. First, you must have been employed by the same employer for at least 26 weeks by the 15th week before your expected week of childbirth. Second, your average weekly earnings must be at least £129 in the relevant period.

If you don’t qualify — usually because you’re self-employed or haven’t been with your employer long enough — you may be able to claim Maternity Allowance instead. That’s paid directly by the government rather than through your employer’s payroll, and it’s worked out differently. This calculator covers SMP only, so check the GOV.UK Maternity Allowance pages if you think that’s your route. If you’re off ill rather than starting parental leave, that’s a different scheme — see how statutory sick pay is calculated if you’re off ill.

Worked examples

Example 1: £450 average weekly earnings

Weeks 1-6: 90% × £450 = £405 per week. £405 × 6 = £2,430.

Weeks 7-39: 90% × £450 = £405, which is higher than the £194.32 cap, so the cap applies. £194.32 × 33 = £6,412.56.

Total over 39 weeks: £2,430 + £6,412.56 = £8,842.56.

Example 2: £180 average weekly earnings

Weeks 1-6: 90% × £180 = £162 per week. £162 × 6 = £972.

Weeks 7-39: 90% × £180 = £162, which is lower than £194.32, so 90% of earnings applies for the full 39 weeks. £162 × 33 = £5,346.

Total: £972 + £5,346 = £6,318.

This is the point worth remembering: lower earners get 90% of their pay all the way through. The cap never bites.

Example 3: £140 average weekly earnings (just above the qualifying threshold)

£140 a week clears the £129 minimum, so you qualify. Weeks 1-6: 90% × £140 = £126 per week. £126 × 6 = £756. Weeks 7-39: 90% × £140 = £126, below the £194.32 cap, so £126 × 33 = £4,158. Total: £756 + £4,158 = £4,914 over 39 weeks.

What your result means, and what to do next

The total is what lands in your bank over 39 weeks, paid through your employer’s payroll on your normal pay dates. Divide it by nine and you’ve got a rough monthly figure to budget against — though bear in mind the first six weeks are much higher than the rest, so your income drops noticeably from week seven.

A word on tax, because this confuses people. SMP is taxable earnings, but that doesn’t mean you’ll actually pay tax on it. Thirty-nine weeks at the £194.32 flat rate comes to £7,578.48 for the year, which sits below the £12,570 personal allowance — so if SMP is your only income, you’ll likely pay no Income Tax or National Insurance on it. The catch is if you earned a salary earlier in the tax year before going on leave. Then your total income for the year may cross the thresholds, and payroll will deduct tax accordingly. Either way, you don’t need to do anything — your employer’s payroll handles it; see how National Insurance applies to your pay.

Practical next steps: talk to your employer early and get your maternity dates confirmed in writing, along with your MAT B1 certificate from your midwife or GP. Ask whether your employer offers an enhanced occupational scheme on top of SMP — NHS staff and teachers often get one, and it can change the numbers significantly. Then run your own figures through the maternity pay calculator above and build your budget around weeks 7 to 39, since those are the lean ones. Planning to return part-time? Work out your part-time salary for when you go back with our pro rata salary calculator.

Common mistakes with a maternity pay calculator

Mixing up 52 weeks of leave with 39 weeks of pay. You’re entitled to up to 52 weeks of maternity leave, but SMP is only paid for 39 of them. The last 13 weeks are unpaid unless your employer offers more.

Assuming the £194.32 cap applies from day one. It doesn’t. The first six weeks are 90% of your earnings with no cap at all, which is a meaningful difference on a decent salary.

Using your latest payslip instead of your average. SMP is based on average weekly earnings worked out by your employer. If your hours fluctuate, the average can be higher or lower than any single week’s pay.

Forgetting SMP is taxable. It’s earnings, not a benefit. It goes through payroll with tax and NI deducted like normal pay.

Not checking eligibility early. The 26-week service rule is measured at a specific point — the 15th week before your expected week of childbirth. If you’re close to the line, get the dates confirmed with HR sooner rather than later.

Assuming you get nothing if you don’t qualify for SMP. Maternity Allowance exists for exactly this situation. Different rules, different payment, but worth checking.

Enhanced occupational schemes

Some employers — the NHS and many teaching employers among them — offer enhanced occupational maternity pay on top of the statutory minimum. These are typically structured as a number of weeks at full pay, then a period at half pay plus SMP, before dropping to SMP alone. The exact terms vary between employers and trusts, so there’s no single figure to give you here. This calculator covers Statutory Maternity Pay only. If you’re on a contract with an occupational scheme, ask HR or check your staff handbook for the enhanced figures and run those alongside the statutory ones.