United Kingdom · Updated for 2026/27
Maternity pay calculator 2026/27
On average earnings of £600 a week (£31,200 a year), Statutory Maternity Pay is £540.00 a week for 6 weeks, then £194.32 a week for 33 weeks: £9,652.56 in all, before tax.
Type your usual pay before tax. Add a company scheme if your employer pays more than SMP.
£600.00 a week average earnings · England, Wales or Northern Ireland
£9,653 maternity pay in all
Statutory Maternity Pay £9,652.56 over 39 weeks · take-home about £9,151
| A week | Take-home a week | |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1 to 6: SMP at 90% | £540.00 | £456.48 |
| Weeks 7 to 39: SMP standard rate | £194.32 | £194.32 |
Your normal take-home is about £499.68 a week. Take-home on maternity pay is worked out as if that pay were steady; payroll works tax out over the year, so you may get some tax back.
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 before tax. For the next 33 weeks you get £194.32 a week, or 90% of your earnings if that is less. On £200 a week, for example, 90% is £180.00, under the standard rate, so you get £180.00 for all 39 weeks: £7,020.00 in all.
Who qualifies for Statutory Maternity Pay?
- You are an employee, and you earn at least £129 a week on average before tax (the Lower Earnings Limit).
- You have worked for your employer without a break for at least 26 weeks into the qualifying week: the 15th week before the week your baby is due.
- You give your employer the right notice and proof of the pregnancy, usually a form from your midwife or doctor.
Your employer works out your average from your pay in the weeks before the qualifying week, so a pay rise or overtime then can change it. If you don’t qualify, you may get Maternity Allowance instead. GOV.UK has the full eligibility rules.
How is take-home worked out on maternity pay?
SMP is paid through payroll, so income tax, National Insurance and any student loan come off it like wages. The calculator runs each stretch of pay through the same engine as our salary calculator, as if that pay lasted all year. Payroll works tax out over the whole year, so months on low pay often bring some tax back. If you pay into a pension by salary sacrifice, the salary sacrifice calculator shows how it changes your pay.
What else can I work out?
- Pro rata salary calculator Part-time pay and take-home from a full-time salary, with holiday pro rata.
- Salary sacrifice calculator Pension by salary sacrifice, net pay or relief at source: take-home and pension compared.
- Hourly wage calculator An hourly rate to a yearly salary and take-home pay, and back again.
- Salary calculator Take-home pay on any salary, with tax codes, Scotland, pensions and student loans.
Every UK tool on one page: salary and tax tools. How the rules work: UK pay and tax guides.
Questions about maternity pay
How much is Statutory Maternity Pay in 2026/27?
90% of your average weekly earnings for the first 6 weeks, then £194.32 a week, or 90% of your earnings if that is less, for the next 33 weeks.
Who qualifies for Statutory Maternity Pay?
Employees who earn at least £129 a week on average, and who have worked for the same employer for 26 weeks by the 15th week before the week the baby is due. You also need to give your employer notice and proof of the pregnancy.
Is maternity pay taxed?
Yes. SMP and company maternity pay are paid through payroll like your wages, so income tax, National Insurance and any student loan come off. Because your pay is lower for months, you may pay less tax over the year than your payslips suggest, and get some back.
What if I don’t qualify for SMP?
You may be able to get Maternity Allowance instead. Your employer gives you a form saying why you don’t get SMP, and you claim Maternity Allowance from Jobcentre Plus.
Does company maternity pay come on top of SMP?
Usually not: most company schemes include SMP, topping it up to the scheme’s level. That is how this calculator works it out. Some schemes ask you to pay part back if you don’t return to work, so check your contract.