How much maternity pay will I receive in the UK?

UK Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) 2024-25: 90% of your average weekly earnings for the first 6 weeks, then the lower of 90% of earnings or £184.03/week for the remaining 33 weeks. Many employers offer enhanced maternity pay (full or partial salary) for part of the leave period. The total SMP for 39 weeks is approximately £6,000-8,000 for average earners.

Does the US have paid maternity leave?

The US has no federal paid maternity leave. The FMLA provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for eligible employees. Some states have Paid Family Leave programs: California (up to 8 weeks at 60-70% pay), New York (12 weeks at 67% up to a cap), New Jersey, Washington, and Massachusetts. Individual employers may offer paid maternity leave as a benefit.

Which country has the best maternity leave?

By length and pay rate: Australia offers 18 weeks PPL at minimum wage, plus additional parental leave. The UK offers 39 weeks of SMP with many parents taking the full 52 weeks (last 13 unpaid). Canada offers up to 15 weeks maternity plus 35-61 weeks shared parental leave at 55% of earnings. US FMLA provides 12 weeks unpaid (some states have paid programs).

Maternity Leave Pay Calculator – 2025

Your Maternity Leave Details

Annual Gross Salary

Country

Leave Duration (weeks)

Employer Enhanced Pay

Monthly Childcare Cost on Return

Partner Taking Leave?

// Parental Leave by Country (2024-25)

Country	Statutory Duration	Pay Rate	Partner Leave	Notes
United Kingdom	52 weeks (39 paid)	90% (6 wks) + £184/wk	2 weeks SPP	Shared parental leave available
United States	12 weeks unpaid (FMLA)	$0 federal (state varies)	12 weeks FMLA	CA/NY/NJ/WA/MA have state PFL
Australia	18 weeks paid (PPL)	National minimum wage (~A$776/wk)	2 weeks Dad/partner pay	Plus 12 months unpaid
Canada	15 maternity + 35/61 parental	55% of earnings (max C$668/wk)	35 or 61 weeks EI	Standard (35 wks) or extended (61 wks at 33%)

// Understanding Maternity Leave Pay

Why Maternity Pay Varies So Dramatically

Maternity leave pay is determined by national policy, not employer generosity. The UK provides 39 weeks of statutory pay (90% of earnings for 6 weeks, then £184/week). The US provides 0 federal paid leave (12 weeks unpaid FMLA only). Australia provides 18 weeks at minimum wage. Canada provides 55% of earnings up to a cap. These structural differences create massive financial planning implications for families.

Key insight: The income gap during leave is only half the story. Childcare costs on return to work are often the bigger shock — UK nursery costs £800-1,500/month, US daycare costs $1,200-2,500/month. In high-cost cities, childcare can exceed take-home pay, making extended leave financially rational despite the income sacrifice.

Financial Reality

The Childcare Cliff Edge

Most parents underestimate the return-to-work cost shock. UK nursery costs average £1,000/month full-time — often more than the SMP income during leave. US daycare averages $1,500/month nationally, exceeding $2,500/month in NYC/SF. This calculator shows the leave income gap, but the childcare cliff edge is where most families hit financial stress. Planning for childcare costs before leave ends is critical.

// FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

UK SMP 2024-25: 90% of Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) for the first 6 weeks, then the lower of 90% AWE or £184.03/week for weeks 7-39. Total 39-week SMP for a £35,000 salary: approximately £7,500-8,000. Many employers enhance this with full or partial salary for the first 6-26 weeks.

No federal paid maternity leave. The FMLA provides 12 weeks unpaid, job-protected leave for eligible employees at companies with 50+ employees. State programs: California (8 weeks at 60-70% pay), New York (12 weeks at 67%), New Jersey, Washington, Massachusetts, Oregon, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, and Maryland all have state-paid family leave programs.

UK: £800-1,500/month full-time (nursery). US: $1,200-2,500/month (varies enormously by state - NYC/SF average $2,000+/month). Australia: A$1,500-2,500/month before childcare subsidy (CCS reduces this by 50-90% income-dependently). Canada: C$1,200-2,000/month (varies by province). Childcare often costs more than a mortgage and is the biggest return-to-work financial shock.

Financially, weeks 40-52 are unpaid (unless your employer enhances). Most parents who take 52 weeks do so for bonding and development reasons despite the income sacrifice. If childcare costs exceed your net income (common in London), taking extended leave can actually save money. The decision is highly personal and financial, not just financial.

UK Shared Parental Leave (SPL) allows parents to split the remaining leave (after the compulsory 2-week maternity period) between them. Each partner can take up to 50 weeks of leave and 37 weeks of pay (SMP rates). They can take leave simultaneously or consecutively. This enables equal parenting arrangements and allows higher-earning partners to return to work earlier if financially beneficial.

// Methodology & References

Formula & Calculation Method

Net Income During Leave

Net_Income = Σ (Paid_Leave_Days × Wage_Rate) + State_Benefits − Lost_Bonus_Accrual

Paid_Leave_Days — Employer-paid days (varies by state and company)
State_Benefits — State PFML payments (CA, NY, NJ, MA, WA, RI, CT, OR, CO, MD, DE)
Lost_Bonus_Accrual — Pro-rated bonus reduction for time out of role

Authoritative Sources & Standards

FMLA: Federal FMLA: 12 weeks UNPAID job-protected leave. Eligibility: 12 months tenure, 1,250 hours worked, employer with 50+ employees within 75 miles. → FMLA
BLS: BLS Employee Benefits Survey 2024: only 27% of US private-sector workers have access to paid family leave through employers. State PFML programs cover residents of 13 states + DC. → BLS

Expert Insights & Research

US is the only OECD country without federal paid maternity leave. State PFML programs (CA: 8 weeks, NY: 12 weeks at 67% wage, etc.) replace 50–100% of wages up to caps. EU minimum: 14 weeks paid; UK: 39 weeks paid.

— OECD Family Database 2024 / National Partnership for Women & Families (2024)

Each additional month of paid leave correlates with 13% reduction in infant mortality (Rossin-Slater meta-analysis, 2017). Mothers taking 12+ weeks leave show 25% lower postpartum depression rates.

— Rossin-Slater, M., 'Maternity and Family Leave Policy', Oxford Handbook (2017) (2017)

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