---
title: "Maternity Pay Calculator UK 2026/27: SMP Week by Week | DecisionsCalc"
url: https://decisionscalc.com/tools/uk-maternity-pay-calculator/
description: "Statutory Maternity Pay for 2026/27: 90% of pay for 6 weeks, then £194.32 a week for 33 weeks. See your weekly pay, any employer scheme and the gap against normal pay."
publisher: DecisionsCalc
note: General information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Figures name their source and the date they were read.
---
[GB · figures checked 8 Nov 2026](https://decisionscalc.com/methodology/)

Growing Family · UK

# UK maternity pay calculator: what you get, week by week

Statutory Maternity Pay is 90% of your pay for 6 weeks, then £194.32 a week (or 90% if lower) for 33 weeks. Add your employer’s scheme to see your pay for every week of leave and how far it falls below your normal pay.

**Figures:** GOV.UK [Maternity pay and leave: pay](https://www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/pay) and [eligibility](https://www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/eligibility) (90% for 6 weeks, £194.32 or 90% for 33 weeks, £129 a week, 26 weeks’ service), read 8 November 2026. Before tax and National Insurance. Employer schemes vary: check your contract. General information, not advice.

## Frequently asked questions

**How much is maternity pay in 2026/27?**  
Statutory Maternity Pay is 90% of your average weekly earnings (before tax) for the first 6 weeks, then £194.32 a week or 90% of your earnings, whichever is lower, for the next 33 weeks: 39 paid weeks in all.

**Who qualifies for Statutory Maternity Pay?**  
You need average earnings of at least £129 a week and 26 weeks’ continuous employment with your employer into the qualifying week, the 15th week before your baby is due. If you don’t qualify, you may get Maternity Allowance from the government instead.

**Is maternity pay taxed?**  
Yes. SMP is paid through your wages, and income tax and National Insurance are deducted in the usual way. The figures in this calculator are before tax.

**What happens after 39 weeks?**  
You can take up to 52 weeks of maternity leave, but SMP stops after 39 weeks, so weeks 40 to 52 are unpaid unless your employer pays more. Many employers’ schemes pay full or half pay for part of the leave; enter yours above.

**Can my partner share the leave?**  
Yes. Shared Parental Leave lets you end maternity leave early and share the remaining weeks and pay with your partner. The Parental Leave Planner maps both parents’ leave week by week.

## Related

-   [Who pays the bills while you’re on leave](https://decisionscalc.com/tools/parental-leave-bill-split-calculator/): 50/50, by income, or the same money left each
-   [Cost of having a baby in the UK](https://decisionscalc.com/gb/tools/baby-cost-planner/) · [Free childcare hours](https://decisionscalc.com/articles/uk-free-childcare-hours/)
-   [Parental leave pay by country](https://decisionscalc.com/articles/parental-leave-pay-by-country/)

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