Use this to estimate Statutory Maternity Pay, your likely paid versus unpaid weeks, and the core leave dates that matter when you are planning income around a birth.
Current rate: from 5 April 2026, SMP pays 90% of average weekly earnings for the first 6 weeks, then £194.32 a week or 90% of earnings if lower for the next 33 weeks.
Estimated SMP and employer-paid income over planned leave
£0Likely paid weeks: 0 of 0
Weekly SMP for the first 6 weeks£0Weekly SMP for the remaining paid weeks£0Estimated total SMP within the leave period£0Estimated unpaid weeks of leave0 weeks
Earliest standard leave start-Planned leave start-Planned return-to-work date-
What this means
SMP can run for up to 39 weeks, but Statutory Maternity Leave can run for 52 weeks. That is why a full year off often means a paid period followed by an unpaid tail.
Result: Emma's take-home over the SMP period is about £9,400 after tax and NI — a sharp drop from her usual £2,300/month net pay. Many parents use a Lifetime ISA, partner's salary, or shared parental leave to bridge the gap.
6 months full pay, then 3 months SMP at statutory rate
Pension contributions (continued)
5% of full salary throughout
The math:
Months 1-6: 100% of usual pay = £4,583/month gross (~£3,310 net after tax/NI/pension)
Months 7-9: £194.32/week × ~13 weeks = £2,526 gross (~£2,280 net — low enough to fall in Personal Allowance)
Months 10-12: unpaid leave
Pension continues to accrue based on full salary throughout the paid period
Result: Aisha receives about £19,860 net over 9 months on the enhanced scheme, vs about £9,400 on statutory only. The pension preservation is the often-overlooked win — her workplace pension continues building as if full-time.
Figures use 2026/27 UK tax-year rates and thresholds. Always verify against your specific payslip or tax statement before acting.
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You can qualify for Statutory Maternity Leave from day one as an employee, but SMP needs the separate earnings and service tests. If you fail SMP, Maternity Allowance may still matter.
Statutory Maternity Leave can run for up to 52 weeks.
SMP can run for up to 39 weeks and is taxed like wages.
The earliest normal start point is 11 weeks before the due week, although illness or an early birth can start leave sooner in real life.