Usually based on your earnings over the 8 weeks before your qualifying week
Total SMP over 39 weeks
£9,388
✓ 2025-26 rates
£450/wk · weeks 1-6
£187.18/wk · weeks 7-39
⚠️ Your average weekly earnings are below the £125 Lower Earnings Limit — you may not be eligible for SMP, but could claim Maternity Allowance instead.
Results are estimates of statutory entitlement only, for educational purposes. Your employer may offer enhanced maternity pay. Always check with HR or gov.uk.
How Statutory Maternity Pay works
Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is paid for up to 39 weeks and split into two distinct periods, each with a different calculation. Understanding both halves helps you budget accurately for your time off.
The two-tier SMP formula
Period
Amount
Weeks 1–6
90% of your average weekly earnings — no cap
Weeks 7–39
The lower of 90% of your average weekly earnings or £187.18/week (2025-26)
Weeks 40–52
Unpaid (unless your employer offers enhanced contractual pay)
The first 6 weeks are uncapped, which means higher earners receive significantly more during this period. From week 7 onward, most people are paid the flat statutory rate, since 90% of their earnings typically exceeds it — only lower earners continue receiving 90% of their actual pay throughout.
Who qualifies for SMP?
You must have worked continuously for the same employer for at least 26 weeks by the end of the "qualifying week" — the 15th week before your expected week of childbirth
Your average weekly earnings must be at least £125 per week (the Lower Earnings Limit for 2025-26)
You must give your employer the correct notice and proof of pregnancy (usually your MATB1 certificate)
Worked example: £500/week average earnings
Weeks 1-6: 90% of £500 = £450/week × 6 weeks = £2,700. Weeks 7-39: 90% of £500 is £450, which is higher than the £187.18 flat rate, so you receive the lower amount — £187.18/week × 33 weeks = £6,177. Total: £8,877 over 39 weeks.
What if I don't qualify for SMP?
If you don't meet the SMP eligibility criteria — for example, you're self-employed, recently changed jobs, or haven't worked long enough — you may still be able to claim Maternity Allowance, a similar benefit paid directly by the government (via Jobcentre Plus) rather than your employer, at a comparable flat weekly rate for up to 39 weeks.
Frequently asked questions
For the first 6 weeks, you receive 90% of your average weekly earnings with no cap. For the remaining 33 weeks, you receive the lower of 90% of your average weekly earnings or the statutory flat rate of £187.18 per week for 2025-26.
You need to have worked continuously for the same employer for at least 26 weeks by the end of the 15th week before your expected week of childbirth, and your average weekly earnings must be at least £125 per week (the Lower Earnings Limit).
Statutory Maternity Pay lasts up to 39 weeks. You can take up to 52 weeks of maternity leave in total, but the final 13 weeks are unpaid unless your employer offers an enhanced contractual maternity pay scheme.
Yes. SMP is treated as normal earnings, so Income Tax and National Insurance are deducted in the usual way through PAYE.
If you don't qualify for SMP — for example because you're self-employed or haven't worked long enough for your employer — you may be able to claim Maternity Allowance instead, paid by the government directly rather than your employer.