NHS Maternity Pay Calculator
This NHS maternity pay calculator works out your maternity pay under Agenda for Change: eight weeks at full pay, 18 weeks at half pay plus Statutory Maternity Pay, then 13 weeks of SMP. Enter your salary to see each stage, the weekly amounts and the total for your leave — or switch to SMP only.
Gross pay for a full year. Weekly pay is worked out as salary divided by 52.
Choose NHS if you qualify for occupational maternity pay; otherwise choose the statutory scheme every employer pays.
Your result
£16,223.92
Total maternity pay over the full leave (NHS occupational maternity pay)
| Stage | Per week | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1–8Full pay (NHS occupational) | £600.00 | £4,800.00 |
| Weeks 9–26Half pay plus SMP (capped at full pay) | £494.32 | £8,897.76 |
| Weeks 27–39SMP only | £194.32 | £2,526.16 |
| Weeks 40–52Unpaid leave | £0.00 | £0.00 |
- Paid weeks:
- 39 of 52 weeks of leave are paid; the rest is unpaid.
- Averaged over the year:
- £1,351.99 a month across the full 52 weeks of leave.
- Weekly pay used:
- £600.00 a week. The SMP flat stage pays £194.32 a week — the lower of £194.32 and 90% of weekly pay.
This is an estimate. The exact SMP amounts are worked out from average weekly earnings in a specific eight-week period before the qualifying week, so the figures from payroll can differ slightly.
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How does NHS maternity pay work?
NHS staff who qualify for occupational maternity pay get a three-stage package spread over the first 39 weeks of leave. Weeks 1 to 8 are paid at your full normal pay. Weeks 9 to 26 are paid at half pay plus Statutory Maternity Pay — and if half pay plus SMP would add up to more than full pay, it is capped at full pay. Weeks 27 to 39 are paid at the SMP rate only. The last 13 weeks of the 52-week maternity leave are unpaid.
Underneath the occupational package sits SMP, which is why the SMP rate still matters to NHS staff: it forms part of the half-pay stage and the whole of the third stage.
Who qualifies for NHS occupational maternity pay?
The Agenda for Change occupational scheme broadly requires 12 months' continuous NHS service by the 11th week before your expected week of childbirth, and that you intend to return to NHS work after your leave. Service can include time with previous NHS employers. If you have changed trusts, tell both HR departments early so the service record is joined up.
If you do not qualify for the occupational scheme, you will usually still get Statutory Maternity Pay. SMP requires 26 weeks of continuous employment with the same employer by the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth, and average weekly earnings of at least £129.00 a week (the 2026/27 Lower Earnings Limit).
A worked example: a salary of £31,200.00
On a salary of £31,200.00 a year — £600.00 a week — the NHS occupational scheme pays £16,223.92 over the leave: £600.00 a week for the first eight weeks, then £494.32 a week for the half-pay-plus-SMP stage, then £194.32 a week of SMP. Statutory Maternity Pay alone on the same salary would pay £9,652.56 — so the occupational scheme is worth £6,571.36 more. Try your own salary in the calculator above.
Statutory rates used by this calculator
| Rate | Amount |
|---|---|
| SMP — first 6 weeks | 90% of average weekly earnings |
| SMP — weeks 7 to 39 (flat rate) | £194.32 per week, or 90% of earnings if lower |
| SMP — total paid weeks | 39 weeks |
| Minimum earnings to qualify for SMP | £129.00 per week (Lower Earnings Limit) |
Rates: 2026/27 rates — verified against GOV.UK. Last verified: 7 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Who qualifies for NHS occupational maternity pay?
Under Agenda for Change (Section 15), you qualify if you have at least 12 months' continuous NHS service by the 11th week before your expected week of childbirth, and you intend to return to work for the NHS afterwards. If you do not qualify — for example, because you have not been in the NHS long enough — you are still entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay if you meet the SMP conditions.
How is NHS maternity pay worked out?
NHS occupational maternity pay runs in three stages over 39 paid weeks: eight weeks at full pay, then 18 weeks at half pay plus Statutory Maternity Pay (provided the total is not more than full pay), then 13 weeks at the SMP rate. The remaining 13 weeks of the 52-week maternity leave are unpaid.
How much is Statutory Maternity Pay in 2026/27?
For the first six weeks, SMP is 90% of your average weekly earnings. For the remaining 33 weeks it is the lower of £194.32 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings. That £194.32 flat rate applies from 5 April 2026.
What if I do not qualify for SMP?
If your earnings are too low or you have not worked for your employer long enough, you may be able to claim Maternity Allowance instead. It pays a standard weekly rate for up to 39 weeks and is claimed through the Jobcentre Plus or online, rather than through your employer.
Is maternity pay taxed?
Yes. Both NHS occupational maternity pay and SMP are treated like normal pay: Income Tax and National Insurance are deducted through payroll, and pension contributions may continue depending on your scheme and your choices.
Related calculators
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Statutory Paternity Pay for one or two weeks, at the same £194.32 statutory rate.
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Statutory Sick Pay under the April 2026 rules, from the first day of sickness.
Open the calculator →