Maternity leave pay: how it works
TL;DR, the essentials
- Maternity leave pay is the money you receive while you are off work having a baby. It is usually a statutory minimum set by the government, which some employers top up.
- In the UK, Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) runs for up to 39 weeks: the first 6 weeks at 90% of your average weekly earnings, then a flat weekly rate for the remaining 33 weeks.
- To qualify you generally need continuous service with the same employer and earnings above a minimum threshold. If you do not qualify for SMP, you may claim Maternity Allowance instead.
- Amounts and rules differ in every country. The figures below are indicative and reflect UK rates for 2025/26 and 2026/27. Always check your national scheme or your employer for your exact situation.
Having a baby raises two practical money questions: how long you can take off, and how much you will actually be paid while you are away. That is what maternity leave pay covers. This guide explains the mechanics in plain terms, using the UK’s statutory scheme as a worked example, and flags what changes when you look at other countries. It is an explainer, not personalised advice, so treat the numbers as a guide and confirm your own entitlement with your payroll team or national authority.
What is maternity leave pay?
Maternity leave pay is income paid to a parent who takes time off work to give birth and care for a new baby. It is separate from the right to take leave: in most countries you can be entitled to a long period of leave, but only part of it is paid, and often at less than your full salary.
In practice there are usually two layers stacked on top of each other:
The statutory floor
A legal minimum funded or mandated by the state, for example Statutory Maternity Pay in the UK. This is the baseline almost everyone who qualifies receives.
Employer enhancement
Many employers pay above the statutory floor, for example full pay for the first few weeks. This “enhanced” or “occupational” maternity pay is set by your contract or company policy, not the law.
A fallback benefit
If you are not eligible for the employer route (for example if you recently changed jobs or are self-employed), a state benefit such as the UK’s Maternity Allowance may still cover you.
Leave and pay are two different things
You might be entitled to a full year of maternity leave but only a portion of it paid. Always check the two questions separately: how long can I be off, and for how many of those weeks am I paid.
How is maternity leave pay calculated?
Most statutory schemes calculate pay from your recent earnings rather than a flat figure for everyone. The UK’s SMP is a clear model of how this works, and the logic is broadly similar elsewhere: a reference wage, then a percentage, then a cap.
Average weekly earnings
Payroll takes your average weekly earnings (AWE) over a set reference period before the baby is due, typically around 8 weeks of payslips.
Higher rate first
For the first 6 weeks, SMP is paid at 90% of your AWE, with no upper limit. High earners genuinely get 90% of their pay during this window.
Flat capped rate after
For the next 33 weeks, you get whichever is lower: the flat statutory weekly rate, or 90% of your AWE. This is where the cap bites for higher earners.
So the total picture in the UK is 39 weeks of pay made up of a generous first six weeks followed by a longer stretch at a fixed weekly amount. Statutory leave itself can run up to 52 weeks, so the final weeks of leave are typically unpaid unless your employer tops them up.
An indicative example
Say your average weekly earnings are 500 GBP. For the first 6 weeks you would receive about 450 GBP per week (90% of 500). From week 7, because the flat rate is lower than 90% of your pay, you drop to the statutory weekly rate. This is an illustration only: your payroll uses your exact figures and reference dates.
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Who qualifies for maternity leave pay?
Qualifying for statutory pay is not automatic. In the UK, to receive Statutory Maternity Pay you generally need to meet two tests by the “qualifying week”, which is the 15th week before your baby is due:
- Continuous employment. You must have worked for the same employer continuously for at least 26 weeks up to the qualifying week.
- Minimum earnings. Your average weekly earnings must be at least the Lower Earnings Limit for National Insurance.
- Correct notice and proof. You must give your employer the right notice and evidence of the due date, usually a MATB1 certificate from your midwife or doctor.
If you do not meet the SMP tests, for example because you changed jobs recently, are self-employed or earn below the threshold, you may instead be able to claim Maternity Allowance from the state, which has its own, more flexible qualifying conditions based on how much you have worked recently.
Do not assume, check the dates
Eligibility hinges on specific reference weeks and earnings periods that are easy to miscount. A few weeks either side of the qualifying week can change your entitlement. Confirm your dates with payroll or your national scheme before you plan your finances around a figure.
How much maternity leave pay will you actually get?
The honest answer is that it depends on your earnings, your country and your employer. As a UK reference point, the statutory structure works like this:
| Period | SMP paid | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1 to 6 | 90% of average weekly earnings | No cap, so high earners get 90% of full pay |
| Weeks 7 to 39 | Lower of the flat rate or 90% of AWE | Flat rate: 187.18 GBP/week in 2025/26, rising to 194.32 GBP/week from 6 April 2026 |
| Weeks 40 to 52 | Usually unpaid | Unless your employer offers enhanced pay |
Two practical points matter here. First, the flat weekly rate is capped, so the more you earn, the bigger the drop in income after week 6. Second, many employers offer enhanced maternity pay (for example, several weeks at full salary) written into your contract or staff handbook, which can be far more generous than the statutory minimum. Always read your own policy alongside the statutory floor.
Maternity pay is really two calculations bolted together: a duration set by law or contract, and an amount set by your earnings, then capped.The MiisterSoftware team, HR & payroll desk.
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How do the rules vary by country?
This is the single most important caveat: maternity leave pay is national law, and it differs sharply from one country to another. The mechanics we have described are the UK’s. Elsewhere you will see very different designs, for example:
- Length of paid leave. Some countries pay only a few weeks, others pay several months or more.
- Replacement rate. The percentage of your salary you keep can range from a modest flat benefit to close to full pay.
- Who pays. Funding may come from the state, from social security contributions, from the employer, or a mix.
- Federal vs local rules. In some countries there is no national paid scheme at all, and entitlement depends on your employer or your region.
Because of this, never assume UK figures apply to you if you work elsewhere. Use your national government’s official guidance as the source of truth, and treat cross-border comparisons as background only.
Also check the neighbouring rights
Around maternity pay sit related entitlements that vary too: paternity or shared parental pay, protection against dismissal, and how leave interacts with your holiday accrual. These are separate calculations worth planning for.
What do employers need to handle?
For an employer, maternity pay is more than a number on a payslip. You typically need to:
- Confirm eligibility from earnings records and continuous service, and process the fallback route where the employee does not qualify.
- Calculate the pay across the higher-rate and flat-rate periods, applying the cap correctly.
- Reclaim or offset statutory pay where the national scheme allows, and keep the required records.
- Protect the role, since maternity is usually a protected period with rules on dismissal, and leave often continues to accrue holiday entitlement.
Doing this by hand across a team is where mistakes creep in. Payroll and HR software automates the reference-period maths, the rate changes each April and the record-keeping, which is why most growing companies move it off spreadsheets.
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On the employer side, automate these calculations with our best HR software 2026 comparison. To understand the wider payroll picture, or explore related topics, browse the HR & payroll hub.
Frequently asked questions
How long is maternity leave pay in the UK?
In the UK, Statutory Maternity Pay lasts up to 39 weeks: the first 6 weeks at 90% of your average weekly earnings, then 33 weeks at the flat statutory rate or 90% of your earnings if that is lower. You can take up to 52 weeks of leave in total, but the final weeks are usually unpaid unless your employer enhances your pay. Rules and durations differ in other countries.
How is Statutory Maternity Pay calculated?
Payroll works out your average weekly earnings over a set reference period before the due date. You are then paid 90% of that figure for the first 6 weeks with no cap, and for the next 33 weeks whichever is lower: the flat statutory weekly rate or 90% of your earnings. The flat rate is 187.18 GBP per week in 2025/26 and rises to 194.32 GBP from 6 April 2026. These figures are indicative and change each April.
Who is eligible for maternity pay?
For UK Statutory Maternity Pay you generally need at least 26 weeks of continuous service with the same employer up to the qualifying week (the 15th week before the due date) and average earnings at least equal to the Lower Earnings Limit. If you do not qualify, you may be able to claim Maternity Allowance from the state instead. Eligibility rules are different in other countries.
Do all countries pay maternity leave the same way?
No. Maternity leave pay is set by national law and varies widely in length, in the percentage of salary replaced and in who funds it. The figures in this guide are UK statutory rates used as an example. Always check your own national government guidance or your employer for the rules and amounts that apply to you.