From maternity allowance to paternity leave – find out what it all means and what you’re entitled to.
As a new parent, you have enough research to do without having to spend hours figuring out how much time you can take off from work and what pay you’ll get. So we’ll try to explain parental leave policies in the UK as easily and quickly as we can. And we’ll break them down by different types of parental leave, how long you can take, and how much you’ll get. Are you sitting comfortably? Then we’ll begin.
Maternity pay and leave
Who can take it?
A pregnant mum with
- an employment contract, who’s
- given the correct 15-week notice, and
- is on payroll the 15th week before the child’s due date—at the latest week 25 of your pregnancy
- has been employed for at least 26 weeks by the same employer, and
- earns at least £123 per week in an ‘8-week relevant period’
How long for?
- 52 weeks, but only 39 weeks are paid
- 2 weeks have to be taken after your baby is born—as if you’d take 50 before and 2 after!
How much do you get?
- 6 weeks are paid at 90% of your salary (so take whatever you make per week and multiply by 0.9 on your calculator).
- The other 33 weeks you get £156.66 or 90% of your salary, whichever is lower.
If you’re not eligible, you may still be able to get maternity allowance.
Maternity allowance and leave
Who can take it?
A pregnant mum who
- has been employed for at least 26 weeks but is not entitled to statutory maternity pay, or
- has been self-employed for at least 26 weeks, or
- has recently stopped working, or
- helps their partner unpaid in their business
How long for?
- 39 weeks paid
How much do you get?
- payments can start from 11 weeks before due-date
- keep in mind, payments can affect your other benefits
- you’ll get between £27 and £156.66 per week, depending on your situation
You can use this government tool to see what you can get.
Paternity leave and pay
Who can take it?
A non-birthing partner, who
- has been employed for at least 26 weeks, and
- will keep working until the birth of the child, and
- has given the correct notice, and
- earns at least £123 per week
How long for?
- 1–2 weeks
- you have to take it after the baby is born, but within 56 days of the birth
How much do you get?
- £156.66 or 90% of your salary, whichever is less
- payments usually start when your leave starts
Does the incredibly short paternity leave seem like an underhanded way to make non-birthing partners feel like second-rate parents, and deprive their pregnant partners of support? We think so too. That’s why we are campaigning for better paternity leave in the UK. Have a look at our #paternityleague table to see how your policy compares.
Shared parental pay and leave
Who can take it?
Employed parents where either
- the mother has worked at least 26 weeks out of the 66 weeks before the baby is born, and
- the mother earned at least £390 over 13 of those weeks, and
- the partner has been employed for at least 26 weeks by the end of the 15th week before the due date, and
- the partner earns at least £123 per week, and
- the partner stays with the same employer until the start of their Shared parental leave
- or you flip everything above so the other person can take the same leave
How long for?
- 50 weeks in total, 37 weeks paid split between you
How much do you get?
- £156.66 per week or 90% of your salary, whichever is less
Mothers can start off by taking Maternity leave for the first 6 weeks, at 90% of their salary (no cap!), and then move on to Shared parental pay which is never more than £156.66 per week. You can use this government tool to plan your shared parental leave.
Adoption Leave
Who can take it?
Parents adopting a child, who
- have been employed for at least 26 weeks by the time you match with the child, and
- have given the correct notice, and
- earn at least £123 per week, and
- can give proof of adoption
How long for?
- one parent can take 26 weeks of Ordinary Adoption Leave and 26 weeks of Additional Adoption Leave
- the other parent just gets the equivalent to paternity leave, so 1–2 weeks
- leave starts at different times depending on if the adoption is done within the UK, from overseas, or with a surrogate parent
How much do you get?
- The pay is the same as for maternity and paternity pay, with £156.66 per week or 90% of the salary, whichever is less
- One parent can take 39 weeks paid, and the other only gets 1 or 2 weeks
- parents who adopt can also take Shared parental leave
Adoption leave and pay is more complex than other types of leave. Use this government page to find out what applies if you are adopting, or surrogate parents.
Unpaid parental leave
Who can take it?
Parents with a child under 18, who
- have been employed for at least 1 year, and
- have parental responsibility, and
- have given at least 21 days’ notice
- are not self-employed, or foster parents
How long for?
- up to 18 weeks, but taken in chunks of at least 1 week at a time
- the entitlement is per child, not per employer, so if you have used some weeks with a previous employer you only have the remainder left
How much do you get?
- this is unpaid leave, so you won’t normally be compensated by your employer
Are you looking for childcare, or planning ahead for your little ones’ future? We have wonderful home nurseries and early years nannies that could be just what your family needs.
