Work out maternity leave dates, Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) eligibility, and payment amounts instantly. Based on current UK rules. Already managing leave? See our leave management software.
The expected date of childbirth (or actual birth date if already born)
When the employee started with their current employer (used to check SMP eligibility)
Average weekly earnings over the 8-week period ending with the qualifying week. Must be at least £125 for SMP.
Key rules every UK employer and employee should know.
All employed women in the UK are entitled to 52 weeks of maternity leave, regardless of how long they have worked for their employer. This is split into 26 weeks of Ordinary Maternity Leave and 26 weeks of Additional Maternity Leave.
Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is paid for 39 weeks. The first 6 weeks are paid at 90% of average weekly earnings (no cap). The remaining 33 weeks are paid at £184.03/week or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower. The final 13 weeks of the 52-week entitlement are unpaid.
To qualify for SMP, the employee must have been continuously employed for at least 26 weeks by the qualifying week and earn at least £125 per week on average. Those who don't qualify may be eligible for Maternity Allowance instead.
During maternity leave, the employee's annual leave continues to accrue. For guidance on managing leave during maternity, see our UK annual leave entitlement guide and leave management software.
This calculator provides estimates based on current UK statutory rules. Keep the following in mind:
TimeTally makes it simple to manage maternity leave alongside regular leave. Create custom leave types, track accrual during absence, and keep your team calendar up to date.
Create unlimited leave types including maternity, paternity, shared parental leave, and more — each with their own rules and approval workflows.
See maternity leave alongside annual leave and sickness on one team calendar. Plan cover and manage workloads effectively.
Holiday entitlement continues to accrue during maternity leave. TimeTally tracks this automatically so nothing gets missed.
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Common questions about maternity leave and SMP in the UK.
UK maternity leave is 52 weeks in total. This is made up of 26 weeks of Ordinary Maternity Leave and 26 weeks of Additional Maternity Leave. All employed women are entitled to this regardless of length of service, though SMP eligibility depends on meeting certain conditions.
Maternity leave can start any time from 11 weeks before the due date. The earliest possible start date is shown in the calculator above. Maternity leave will start automatically if the baby is born early, or if the employee is off work with a pregnancy-related illness in the 4 weeks before the due date.
SMP is paid for 39 weeks. The first 6 weeks are at 90% of average weekly earnings (uncapped). The next 33 weeks are at £184.03 per week or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower. The remaining 13 weeks of the 52-week leave period are unpaid unless the employer offers enhanced maternity pay.
If you don't qualify for SMP (because you haven't been employed long enough or earn less than £125/week), you may be eligible for Maternity Allowance instead. Maternity Allowance is paid by the government for up to 39 weeks. Check gov.uk for eligibility criteria.
Yes, annual leave continues to accrue throughout the full 52 weeks of maternity leave. This means an employee returning from maternity leave may have a significant amount of holiday to use. Employers should plan for this and discuss how accrued leave will be taken.
Yes. TimeTally supports unlimited custom leave types, so you can create a specific maternity leave type with its own rules. The team calendar shows who is on maternity leave alongside other absences, and the system continues to track annual leave accrual during the maternity period.
