data tool
Statutory Maternity Pay calculator for the UK
Statutory Maternity Pay is paid for up to 39 weeks: 90% of average weekly earnings for the first 6 weeks, then £194.32 or 90% of earnings, whichever is lower, for the next 33 weeks at the 2026 to 2027 rates. To qualify, earnings must average at least £129 a week and employment must run 26 weeks into the qualifying week. This calculator does the dates and the schedule.
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- No watermark, no file limit
How it works
- 1
Enter the due date
Type the expected date of birth from the MATB1 certificate.
- 2
Enter the start of employment
Type the date the job with this employer started.
- 3
Enter earnings and leave
Type average weekly earnings and the date maternity leave starts.
- 4
Read the schedule
The tiles show the total, the two weekly rates and the qualifying week; open the list for week by week pay.
Six weeks plus 33
Gov.uk sets SMP at 90% of average weekly earnings before tax for the first 6 weeks, and £194.32 or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower, for the next 33 weeks. On earnings of £612 a week, the first 6 weeks pay £550.80 and the next 33 pay £194.32, a total of £9,717.36 over 39 weeks. On earnings of £200 a week, 90% is £180, which is lower than the flat rate, so all 39 weeks pay £180.
Finding the qualifying week
The expected week of childbirth starts on the Sunday on or before the due date. The qualifying week is the 15th week before it, also starting on a Sunday. For a baby due on Wednesday 20 January 2027, the expected week starts on Sunday 17 January 2027 and the qualifying week starts on Sunday 4 October 2026. Employment must have lasted at least 26 weeks continuing into that qualifying week, which in practice means starting the job no later than the Saturday 25 weeks before the qualifying week ends.
The earnings test
To qualify, average weekly earnings over the relevant period, normally the 8 weeks up to the last payday before the end of the qualifying week, must be at least the lower earnings limit, £129 a week for 2026 to 2027. Someone below it, or without enough service, may be able to claim Maternity Allowance instead, which the calculator does not work out. The employer gives form SMP1 to explain why SMP is not payable.
When leave can start
The earliest maternity leave can start is the 11th week before the expected week of childbirth, and SMP usually starts when leave starts, or the day after birth if the baby arrives early. The calculator warns if the leave date you type is earlier than that. Each week of the schedule runs from the leave start date in 7 day steps, the way employers usually pay SMP alongside wages.
Leave that crosses April
Because the flat rate is uprated each April, a leave period that starts in early 2027 will usually run past 5 April 2027, and the weeks after that date are paid at the new flat rate once it is set. The first 6 weeks at 90% are unaffected unless earnings change. The calculator holds the 2026 to 2027 figures only and flags any week starting after 4 April 2027, so the total it shows for such a leave is a slight underestimate rather than an overestimate.
Writing it down
An employer confirms maternity leave and pay in writing, usually within 28 days of being told, setting out the leave dates, the date the employee is expected back and the SMP figures. The AI document generator writes that confirmation letter from a description; give it the dates and the two weekly rates from this calculator.
Limits
- Rates checked on 21 October 2026 against gov.uk: £194.32 a week and a lower earnings limit of £129 for 2026 to 2027. This is arithmetic, not legal advice.
- The flat rate is uprated each April, so weeks after 4 April 2027 may pay a little more than shown.
- Average weekly earnings are the figure you type; working them out over the relevant 8 week period is the employer's job.
- Statutory pay only: no enhanced company schemes, Maternity Allowance or Shared Parental Pay.
What it does not do
- It does not apply for SMP or give notice to the employer.
- It does not work out tax or National Insurance on SMP.
- It does not store the dates or earnings.
Questions people ask
How much is statutory maternity pay in 2026?
For the 2026 to 2027 tax year gov.uk lists 90% of average weekly earnings for the first 6 weeks, then £194.32 a week or 90% of earnings, whichever is lower, for the next 33 weeks. The flat rate usually rises each April.
Am I eligible for SMP?
You need average weekly earnings of at least £129, at least 26 weeks of continuous employment with the employer continuing into the qualifying week, and to give the correct notice and proof of pregnancy, usually the MATB1 certificate. Agency workers and some others qualify on the same tests.
How are average weekly earnings worked out?
From gross earnings paid in the relevant period, normally the 8 weeks, or two months for monthly pay, up to the last payday on or before the Saturday of the qualifying week. The total is divided to give a weekly figure. Bonuses and overtime paid in the period count.
What if I am not eligible for SMP?
Your employer should give you form SMP1 explaining why, and you may be able to claim Maternity Allowance from Jobcentre Plus. Maternity Allowance has its own earnings and work tests, and can be paid to self employed people who do not get SMP.
Is SMP taxed?
Yes. SMP is paid through payroll like wages, with income tax and National Insurance deducted in the usual way. The figures in this calculator are gross, so the amount in your bank will be lower depending on your tax code and pension.
Does SMP change if I get a pay rise?
A pay rise that is backdated into the relevant 8 week period, or awarded while you are on maternity leave, can increase average weekly earnings and so the first 6 weeks of SMP. The employer then recalculates SMP, including weeks already paid.
Write the confirmation letter
Take what you made here into documents.
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Background reading: the question page on this.
Written and checked by the OneCraft team. Last checked .