How does maternity pay actually work month by month?

Most parents know there's statutory maternity pay — but many are surprised when it drops after 6 weeks, or when unpaid months appear at the end of their leave. Understanding how pay changes over time helps you plan realistically.

See How Your Pay Changes Across Your Leave

Use the Your Family Leave Plan to:

Understand your household income across all your planned leave
See your pay month by month — not just weekly rules
See exactly when statutory maternity pay reduces
See when paid weeks end and unpaid months begin
Use annual leave to smooth income

How statutory pay changes over time

Statutory Maternity Pay

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is paid for up to 39 weeks — but it drops significantly after the first 6 weeks.

Weeks 1–6

90% of your average weekly earnings

This higher rate applies for the first 6 weeks only

Weeks 7–39

£194.32 per week or 90% of earnings (whichever is lower)

For most people, this means £194.32 per week for 33 weeks

Weeks 40–52

Unpaid

The final 13 weeks of statutory maternity leave carry no pay

Common misconception: Many parents assume maternity pay stays the same for 9 months. In reality, pay drops after 6 weeks and stops entirely after 39 weeks — even though leave continues to 52 weeks.

Why monthly pay feels uneven

Because statutory pay is calculated weekly, most months include more than 4 weeks, creating uneven monthly amounts:

Your first full month might include 6 weeks at 90% plus a week or two at £194.32
Later months will be around 4.3 weeks at £194.32 per week
The transition from paid to unpaid leave often happens mid-month

Statutory paternity pay

Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) is paid for up to 2 weeks at the flat statutory rate of £194.32 per week (or 90% of average weekly earnings if lower).

Paternity pay is separate from maternity pay and does not reduce the weeks available for Statutory Maternity Pay or Shared Parental Pay.

Why pay often drops sooner than expected

The statutory framework allows up to 52 weeks of maternity leave, but only 39 weeks are paid. This creates a 13-week unpaid period that catches many families by surprise.

Most parents taking the full year of leave will face unpaid months at the end. Without planning ahead, this creates unexpected financial pressure.

Common scenarios where pay drops unexpectedly

1
Taking the full 52 weeks of maternity leave — the final 13 weeks are unpaid
2
Using Shared Parental Leave without realizing the pay pool is shared — once 39 weeks of combined pay are used, remaining leave is unpaid
3
Employer enhanced pay ending earlier than expected — dropping from full or half pay to statutory rates, then to unpaid

Many families assume pay lasts as long as leave, but statutory pay stops at 39 weeks. Planning ahead helps you prepare financially or adjust your leave dates.

Employer enhanced pay

Important: Enhanced pay tops up statutory pay during the first weeks or months — it does not extend the 39-week paid period. Once the 39 weeks of statutory entitlement end, any remaining leave is unpaid, regardless of enhancement.

How employer enhancements work

Some employers offer enhanced maternity pay above the statutory minimum. This is a company benefit, not a legal entitlement, and varies widely by employer.

Enhanced pay typically applies for a limited period, then reverts to statutory rates. It may come with conditions, such as requiring you to return to work for a certain period.

Common enhancement structures

Full pay for 8–12 weeks, then statutory pay
Half pay for 12–18 weeks, then statutory pay
Full pay for 6 weeks, half pay for 12 weeks, then statutory pay

Check your employer's policy carefully

Always confirm the exact terms in writing. Look for details about duration, conditions, and what happens if you don't return to work as expected.

Shared Parental Leave pay

SPL pay is not "extra" pay

Shared Parental Leave converts unused maternity leave and pay into a pool that can be shared between parents. The total paid period remains 39 weeks — SPL doesn't add more paid weeks; it redistributes how those weeks are used.

How SPL pay works

Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) is paid at the same rate as weeks 7–39 of SMP: £194.32 per week or 90% of earnings (whichever is lower)
The number of paid SPL weeks available depends on when maternity leave is curtailed
If maternity leave ends after 20 weeks, up to 19 weeks of ShPP remain (39 total paid weeks minus 20 weeks of SMP used)

Sequencing and curtailment decisions affect pay outcomes

When maternity leave ends determines how much ShPP is available. Because pay rates differ (90% for the first 6 weeks vs. £194.32 thereafter), the timing of curtailment and who takes SPL first can affect total household income.

Key insight: Shared Parental Leave gives flexibility in how leave is shared, but doesn't extend the 39-week paid period. Planning the curtailment date and SPL sequencing helps maximize household income.

Annual leave around family leave

Annual leave continues to build up during maternity leave and can be taken before or after family leave. This can help smooth income or extend your paid time off.

Important rules about annual leave

Annual leave can be used before or after statutory maternity, paternity, or shared parental leave — not during
Annual leave does not extend statutory pay — it's paid at your normal rate, but doesn't add weeks to SMP or ShPP
Unused annual leave often carries over if it can't be taken because of family leave

Annual leave works alongside family leave but doesn't change how SMP or ShPP is calculated. Taking annual leave at full pay before unpaid weeks begin can reduce the financial impact of unpaid leave.

Why guidance alone isn't enough

Official guidance explains the statutory rules clearly — what you're entitled to, how eligibility works, and what notice you must give. But guidance describes the rules; it doesn't show you what your pay will look like month by month.

The gap between "understanding the rules" and "knowing what will happen to our income" is where confusion and financial stress arise.

What static guidance can't show you

When your pay will drop from 90% to £194.32 per week
How your employer enhancement fits with statutory pay timings
Which months will be unpaid if you take the full year
How curtailing maternity leave at different dates changes household income

How the planner helps

Your Family Leave Plan models the real pay outcomes of your leave choices. It brings together statutory pay, employer enhancements, unpaid periods, and all leave types in one place.

What the planner models

Statutory pay

SMP, SAP, SPP, and ShPP based on your earnings and leave dates

Employer enhancements

Your employer's enhanced pay rules and timing

Unpaid periods

Exactly when unpaid leave begins

All leave types together

Maternity, paternity, SPL, and annual leave as one joined-up plan

This is a planning tool, not advice. The planner shows you likely pay outcomes based on current statutory rules and the details you provide. All figures are estimates and should be confirmed with your employer before making final decisions.

Why modelling matters

Seeing the month-by-month breakdown helps you plan realistically, prepare for pay drops, and understand the trade-offs between different leave arrangements.

Ready to see your pay outcomes?

Model your leave and pay together — including statutory rates, employer enhancements, and unpaid periods — so you can plan with confidence.

No sign-up required • Free to use • Based on current UK rules

Important: This page explains how UK statutory and enhanced pay typically works. All figures are estimates based on current statutory rates and should be confirmed with your employer. Your Family Leave Plan is a planning tool, not legal or financial advice. For official statutory guidance, see gov.uk.