When should you start maternity leave?
The short answer: when you start leave does not change how much Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) you get. What sets it is your pay in an eight-week window ending with the 15th week before your due date. A pay rise, overtime or bonus paid in that window raises your first six weeks of pay. After that, the best start date is about health, holiday and how long you want to be paid after the birth.
How SMP is worked out
- First 6 weeks: 90% of your average weekly earnings, with no cap.
- Next 33 weeks: £194.32 a week, or 90% of your average earnings if that is lower.
- Last 13 weeks of the 52: unpaid, unless your employer pays more.
Your average weekly earnings come from the eight weeks (or two monthly paydays) up to and including the last payday before the end of the 15th week before your due date. To qualify, you need 26 weeks with your employer by then and average earnings of at least £129 a week.
Where you can make a difference: the eight-week window
On a £32,000 salary, average pay is £615.38 a week. What changes in the window does to SMP:
| Situation | Average weekly pay | First 6 weeks of SMP | Total SMP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal pay | £615.38 | £3,323 | £9,736 |
| 4% pay rise backdated into the window | £640.00 | £3,456 | £9,869 |
| £2,000 bonus paid in the window | £865.38 | £4,673 | £11,086 |
Overtime, bonuses and commission paid in the window count. If you can choose when a bonus is paid, or pick up extra shifts, doing it then lifts your first six weeks. After week six, most people get the flat £194.32 regardless.
Choosing your start date
- Earliest: the 11th week before your due date.
- Latest: the day after the birth. Many people work until two to four weeks before their due date.
- Automatic start: if you are off sick with a pregnancy-related reason in the four weeks before your due date, or the baby arrives early.
Starting later means more weeks of full pay now and more of your 39 paid weeks after the birth. Starting earlier gives rest before the birth but uses up paid weeks.
Use your holiday
You keep building holiday during maternity leave, including bank holidays. Many people take holiday they have built up just before leave starts, so they finish work earlier on full pay, and take the rest before returning. That can add several weeks of full pay. See holiday when your year is broken up.
Enhanced company pay
If your employer pays more than SMP, read the scheme rules carefully. Many require you to have worked there a certain time by a set date, and to return for a minimum period, often three to six months, or repay the extra. Some only pay enhanced pay for a fixed number of weeks from your start date, so starting earlier uses it up before the birth. See how to budget for maternity leave.
Other things that affect your money
- Keeping in touch days: up to 10 days of work during leave without ending your leave or SMP. Your employer pays you for them.
- Salary sacrifice: if your pay drops, check schemes like childcare or cars; pension contributions continue on what you are paid, and employer contributions must continue on your normal pay during paid leave.
- Shared parental leave: you can end maternity leave early and share the remaining weeks with your partner. See paternity and shared parental pay.
If you do not qualify for SMP, see Maternity Allowance vs SMP.
If your baby arrives early
If the baby is born before your planned start date, your leave and pay start the day after the birth. If you are off with a pregnancy-related illness in the four weeks before your due date, your employer can start your maternity leave automatically. So it is worth knowing both dates, and keeping your employer updated if anything changes.
Your rights while you are away and when you return
- Your contract continues: you keep building holiday, and your employer must keep paying pension contributions during paid leave.
- Back after 26 weeks or less: you have the right to return to the same job.
- Back after more than 26 weeks: the same job, or a suitable alternative on no worse terms if that isn't reasonably practicable.
- Pay rises: a rise that would have applied to you while on leave must be applied, and may increase your SMP if it affects the earnings period.
- Flexible working: you can ask for it from day one of employment.
This is general information about statutory rules in 2026/27. Your employer's policy may give more.
Common questions
When is the best time to start maternity leave for pay?
For Statutory Maternity Pay, what matters is your pay in the eight weeks before the 15th week before your due date, not when you start leave. A pay rise or bonus paid in those weeks increases your first six weeks of SMP. For when to start, most people balance health, holiday and how much paid leave they want after the birth.
What is the earliest I can start maternity leave?
The 11th week before your due date. If you are off sick with a pregnancy-related illness in the four weeks before the due date, leave starts automatically.
Does starting maternity leave later give me more pay?
Not more SMP in total: you get up to 39 weeks either way. Starting later means more of your paid leave falls after the birth, and you keep earning full pay for longer.
Can I use holiday before maternity leave?
Yes. Taking holiday you have built up just before leave lets you finish work earlier on full pay. You also keep building holiday during maternity leave.
Does a pay rise during maternity leave affect SMP?
Yes, if it would have applied to you during or after the eight-week period that sets your SMP. Your employer must recalculate SMP and pay the difference.
How much notice do I need to give?
Tell your employer by the end of the 15th week before your due date, with the date you want to start leave. You can change it with 28 days’ notice.