WealthR · Free tools · Maternity pay

Maternity Pay Calculator UK

See exactly what you'll be paid across your maternity leave. Statutory pay, or your employer's scheme — with presets for the NHS, teachers and the civil service, or build your own for any employer. Month by month, with the option to spread it evenly.

2026/27 rates NHS · Teachers · Civil Service · Custom No sign-up
Part-time? Enter your actual salary, not the full-time figure.
Leave defaults to 11 weeks before your due date — the earliest you can start. Dates are optional; they drive your key-dates list.
Advanced — average weekly earnings
SMP's first 6 weeks (90% of pay) and the £194.32 rate are based on your average weekly earnings — the average of your gross pay in the 8 weeks up to the 15th week before your due date. Bonuses push it up; salary sacrifice pushes it down. Leave blank to use salary ÷ 52.
Build your scheme — stages in order
Copy the stages straight from your maternity policy: full pay · % of pay · half pay + SMP (capped at full) · SMP flat rate · unpaid.
Total maternity pay
£0
across your leave

Many employers will, if you ask, pay an occupational scheme in equal monthly instalments. Same total — smoother income.

If spread evenly
£0
per month, on average
Unpaid weeks
0
at the end of leave
Pro Turn this into a plan for the year

✓ The calculator is free and always will be — no sign-up, no email gate.

After tax, National Insurance and pension you'll take home around £1,480/month during the paid stretch — Pro shows the real figure, month by month, inside your household budget.
  • Your take-home each month — net of tax, NI and pension, not just gross
  • This maternity year in your household forecast — when savings dip, months of runway, your partner's income carrying it
  • The £100k childcare check — a low-pay year can restore Tax-Free Childcare + free hours worth thousands
  • Pension through leave, and saved scenarios to compare return dates and reuse next time
Try WealthR Pro free →

Gross figures, illustration not advice. Take-home is lower after tax, NI and pension. Occupational schemes vary by employer — check your own maternity policy.

Stage by stage

StageWeeks£ / weekTotal

Month by month

MonthGross pay
Heads up: these are gross figures. Maternity pay is taxable and National Insurance is due on it, so your take-home is lower — and because pay is uneven across the year, PAYE can over- or under-deduct before it evens out. The net, month-by-month version lives in WealthR Pro above.

How maternity pay actually works

There are two layers. Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is the legal minimum: 90% of your average weekly earnings for the first 6 weeks, then 33 weeks at the lower of £194.32 or 90% of your earnings, then the rest of the year unpaid. To get it you need 26 weeks' service by the qualifying week and average earnings of at least £129 a week.

On top of that, many employers pay an occupational (enhanced) scheme — and this is where the numbers really differ. The NHS pays 8 weeks full, 18 weeks half pay plus SMP, then SMP and unpaid. Teachers get a Burgundy Book scheme; the civil service pays a long stretch of full pay. Pick your scheme above, or if you're in the private sector, build your own from your offer letter — the total can be thousands of pounds apart.

Spread it evenly — the tip most people miss

Occupational pay is normally front-loaded: full pay first, then it drops to half and then to statutory. That's a cliff in your monthly income right when a new baby is most expensive. Many employers will, on request, pay the same total in equal monthly instalments across the whole leave instead. Toggle "spread my pay evenly" above to see the smoothed figure — it's the single easiest thing to ask HR for.

Don't qualify for SMP?

If you've not got the service or earnings — common if you're self-employed or recently changed jobs — you may be able to claim Maternity Allowance instead, currently £194.32 a week for up to 39 weeks. The calculator flags it if your earnings are below the threshold.

Planning the whole year rather than one payslip? A year on reduced pay can also pull your income under £100,000 and restore Tax-Free Childcare — worth checking with the Adjusted Net Income calculator.

NHS maternity pay calculator → Cost of raising a child → Adjusted net income & £100k →

Real-world tips

General pointers from how these schemes work — not advice. Always check your own employer's maternity policy.

Frequently asked

How much maternity pay will I get?
On Statutory Maternity Pay: 90% of your average weekly earnings for 6 weeks, then 33 weeks at the lower of £194.32 or 90% of earnings, then unpaid. If your employer runs an occupational scheme (NHS, teaching, civil service, many larger firms) you'll get more — choose the preset above or build your own to see the total.
Can I spread my maternity pay evenly?
On an occupational scheme, usually yes — most employers will pay it in equal monthly instalments if you ask, instead of full-pay-then-half. The total is the same; it just smooths your income. Toggle "spread evenly" to compare.
What's the SMP rate for 2026/27?
£194.32 a week (or 90% of average weekly earnings if lower) for the 33 weeks after the first 6, which are 90% of earnings with no cap. You need 26 weeks' service and average earnings of at least £129 a week.
Is this advice?
No — it shows how the rules work and what your numbers look like. It's general information, not financial, tax or legal advice, and WealthR isn't FCA-authorised. Occupational schemes vary by employer and contract, so always check your own maternity policy and speak to HR or a qualified adviser.