Maternity & paternity pay, explained
Why the weekly amount changes partway through the 39 weeks.
Statutory Maternity Pay isn't a flat weekly amount for the whole 39 weeks — it changes partway through, which is easy to miss when you're budgeting around it.
The two-rate structure
Statutory Maternity Pay runs for up to 39 weeks, split into two distinct rates:
- First 6 weeks: 90% of your average weekly earnings, with no upper cap.
- Remaining 33 weeks: the lower of 90% of your average weekly earnings, or the statutory weekly rate (£194.32 for 2026/27).
For most people earning above roughly £216 a week, the first six weeks are noticeably higher than the following 33 — which is worth planning around rather than assuming a flat rate throughout.
Statutory Paternity Pay is simpler — and shorter
Statutory Paternity Pay is two weeks at the statutory rate (or 90% of average weekly earnings if that's lower), taken either together or as two separate weeks within the eligible window.
The earnings threshold
To qualify for either payment, your average weekly earnings need to be at least the Lower Earnings Limit (£129 for 2026/27). Below that threshold, you may not qualify for statutory pay but could be eligible for Maternity Allowance instead, which works differently and is claimed through the DWP rather than your employer.
How "average weekly earnings" is actually calculated
This isn't simply your current weekly salary — it's usually averaged over an 8-week reference period around the qualifying week, which can matter if your pay varies, includes overtime, or you've had a recent pay rise that hasn't fully fed through yet.
Worked example: on average weekly earnings of £500, the first 6 weeks pay £450/week (90%), then the remaining 33 weeks drop to £194.32/week — a difference worth budgeting for well before the drop happens.