Maternity leave calculator
Start, end, notice and paternity leave, from the due date.
Examples temporarily replace the input and settings. You can restore your previous work.
Output
••••• ••• •••••••• •••• •• ••••• ••• ••• ••••• ••• •• ••• •••• ••••••••
Your files stay on your device
This tool runs entirely in your browser. What you paste is processed on your device and is never sent to a server, so it is safe to use with tokens, keys and unpublished text.
Example
Example: due on 15 March 2027 — UK maternity leave, pay and notice dates
Expected date of birth Monday 15 March 2027, one baby, United Kingdom. The expected week of childbirth is the week starting Sunday 14 March 2027, and the rules count from it.
- Earliest start: Sunday 27 December 2026, the 11th week before the expected week of childbirth.
- Tell the employer by Saturday 5 December 2026, the end of the 15th week before it.
- The 2 weeks after the birth are compulsory leave: 15–28 March 2027 if the baby comes on the due date.
| Case | Leave starts | SMP ends (39 weeks) | Leave ends (52 weeks) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start on the due date | Mon, 15 March 2027 | Sun, 12 December 2027 | Sun, 12 March 2028 |
| Chosen start 15 February 2027 | Mon, 15 February 2027 | Sun, 14 November 2027 | Sun, 13 February 2028 |
| Baby born early, 1 March 2027 | Tue, 2 March 2027 | Mon, 29 November 2027 | Mon, 28 February 2028 |
With no start chosen, the leave is shown from the due date; enter your chosen start, or the date of birth once the baby is here, and every date moves. These are the statutory dates — the ones agreed with your employer are the ones that count.
How it works
- Enter the expected date of birth, or the first day of the last period.
- Choose the country; each follows its own law.
- Enter a chosen start if you have one; in the UK it cannot be before the 11th week before the expected week of childbirth.
- Once the baby is here, enter the date of birth to see the dates move.
Frequently asked questions
- When can maternity leave start in the UK?
- From the 11th week before the expected week of childbirth at the earliest. If the baby comes first, it starts the day after the birth.
- How long is statutory maternity leave?
- Up to 52 weeks: 26 weeks of ordinary and 26 of additional leave. Statutory Maternity Pay is paid for up to 39 of them, and the 2 weeks after the birth are compulsory. Started on 15 March 2027, SMP runs to 12 December 2027 and the leave to 12 March 2028.
- When must I tell my employer?
- By the end of the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth; the page gives the date.
- What if the baby comes early?
- Leave starts the day after the birth, whatever start you had planned. Due on 15 March 2027 and born on 1 March, the leave runs from 2 March 2027 to 28 February 2028, with SMP until 29 November 2027.
- Which other countries does it know?
- Germany, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, France, Italy, Spain and Turkey, each with its own law and its 2026 changes.
- Does this replace what the employer or the authorities say?
- No. It applies the statutory periods; the dates that count are the ones agreed with the employer.
- Is anything I enter sent anywhere?
- No. It is worked out in your browser.
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