Calculate your statutory maternity pay entitlement
Average weekly earnings in the 8 weeks before your 15th week before the baby is due
Fill in your information to see your entitlements
Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is paid for up to 39 weeks. The amount you get depends on your average weekly earnings in the qualifying period.
Important: SMP is the minimum your employer must pay. Many employers offer enhanced maternity pay as part of their benefits package. Check your employment contract or speak to HR to see if you're entitled to more. SMP is subject to tax and National Insurance deductions.
Understanding your maternity pay entitlement helps you:
Knowing your SMP entitlement in advance allows you to make informed decisions about your maternity leave and helps you prepare financially for welcoming your new baby.
For the first 6 weeks, you receive 90% of your average weekly earnings. For the remaining 33 weeks, you get £187.18 per week or 90% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower.
SMP is paid for up to 39 weeks. You're entitled to 52 weeks of maternity leave in total, but only 39 weeks are paid through SMP. The remaining 13 weeks are unpaid, though your employer may offer additional company maternity pay.
SMP can start from the 11th week before your baby is due. The earliest it can start is when you give birth. You choose when to start your maternity leave, but must give your employer at least 28 days' notice.
Yes, SMP is treated as earnings and is subject to Income Tax and National Insurance contributions. Your employer will deduct these in the usual way when they pay you.
If you don't qualify for SMP (for example, if you're self-employed or your earnings are too low), you may be eligible for Maternity Allowance instead. This is paid by the government at up to £184.03 per week for up to 39 weeks.
You can work up to 10 "Keeping in Touch" (KIT) days during your maternity leave without losing your SMP. These days allow you to do some work, attend meetings, or training. Any work beyond 10 days may affect your SMP entitlement.
Your employer pays SMP, but they can usually reclaim most or all of it from the government through HMRC. Small employers (with total National Insurance contributions of £45,000 or less per year) can reclaim 103% of SMP paid.
The SMP rate stays the same whether you're having one baby or multiples. However, you're entitled to the same 39 weeks of SMP and 52 weeks of maternity leave. Some employers may offer enhanced maternity pay for multiple births.
Yes, SMP stops when you return to work. You must give your employer at least 8 weeks' notice if you want to return to work earlier than originally planned. Any unused SMP entitlement is lost when you return to work.
Enhanced maternity pay is additional pay offered by some employers on top of SMP. This varies by company and might include full pay for a certain number of weeks, or a higher percentage of your salary. Check your employment contract or company handbook for details of your employer's maternity policy.