For most higher earners the headline is not the 90%. It is the £194.32 cap that applies from week 7. Knowing the size of that drop before you go on leave lets you plan savings, an employer top-up or a different leave split.
How the 39 weeks are paid
- Weeks 1 to 6: 90% of your average weekly earnings before tax.
- Weeks 7 to 39: £194.32 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower.
- Weeks 40 to 52: no statutory pay, though you can still be on leave.
- Pay is made like wages, with tax and National Insurance deducted.
Leave versus pay
Statutory Maternity Leave is 52 weeks: 26 weeks of Ordinary Maternity Leave and 26 of Additional. You do not have to take all 52, but you must take 2 weeks after the birth (4 if you work in a factory). The earliest start is usually 11 weeks before the expected week of childbirth. To change your return date you must give at least 8 weeks' notice.
Who qualifies
For leave you must be an employee, not a 'worker', and give the correct notice. For pay you must earn an average of at least £129 a week, give the correct notice and proof of pregnancy, and have worked for your employer continuously for at least 26 weeks into the qualifying week, which is the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth.
If you do not qualify, your employer must give you form SMP1 within 7 days of their decision. You may be eligible for Maternity Allowance instead.
Sizing your gap
- Take your normal monthly take-home pay.
- For weeks 1 to 6, estimate about 90% of average weekly earnings, taxed as usual.
- From week 7, replace weekly pay with £194.32 if your 90% figure is higher than that.
- Subtract the new monthly figure from your normal one. That monthly gap is the number to cover from savings, a top-up or your partner's income.
If you want to move some of the 52 weeks to your partner, read the shared parental leave guide. For what happens when you return, see the maternity leave return budget.
General information, not personal financial or employment advice. Official guidance checked on 11 October 2026. Use the GOV.UK sources below and your employer's policy to check your own circumstances.
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