Pay calculator

UK Shared Parental Leave Calculator

Split maternity leave and pay between both parents. Enter what the mother takes and each parent's earnings, and this tool shows the Shared Parental Leave weeks left, the pay per parent, and the total. Free, no signup.

Free, no signup2026-27 ShPP rateVerify at gov.uk

What the mother takes

Maternity leave the mother takes

Of up to 52 weeks. What's left can become Shared Parental Leave.

wks

Maternity pay the mother takes

Of up to 39 weeks of SMP or Maternity Allowance. What's left becomes shared pay.

wks

Parent 1

Average weekly earnings

Gross weekly pay, before tax. Divide an annual salary by 52.

Weeks of paid leave to take

wks

Parent 2

Average weekly earnings

Gross weekly pay, before tax. Divide an annual salary by 52.

Weeks of paid leave to take

wks

Total shared parental pay

£3,692

Gross across both parents, before tax and National Insurance, for 19 paid weeks of Shared Parental Pay.

Shared Parental Leave availableLeft once the mother's leave comes off26 wks

Shared Parental Pay availableLeft once the mother's pay comes off19 wks

Parent 1 pay10 wks × £194.32/wk£1,943

Parent 2 pay9 wks × £194.32/wk£1,749

Total shared parental pay£3,692

ShPP is paid at the lower of £194.32 a week or 90% of average weekly earnings (2026-27). Up to 50 weeks of leave and 37 weeks of pay can be shared, minus what the mother takes as maternity leave and pay. Pay has income tax and National Insurance taken off like normal wages. A guide, not advice.

Simon Chadwick

Founder, Orbit Money

Method: gov.uk Shared Parental Leave and Pay rulesUpdated: 17 July 2026Sources: gov.uk shared parental leave, Acas shared parental pay

How Shared Parental Leave and Pay works

Shared Parental Leave (SPL) lets a mother end her maternity leave early and share what’s left with the other parent. You start from the mother’s full entitlement, 52 weeks of leave and 39 weeks of pay, then take off the weeks she uses as maternity leave and maternity pay. Whatever remains can be split between both parents. In total, up to 50 weeks of leave and 37 weeks of pay can be shared, because the first two weeks after the birth are compulsory maternity leave and cannot be given away.

Statutory Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) is paid at the lower of the flat rate, £194.32 a week for 2026-27, or 90% of that parent’s average weekly earnings. Each parent is paid at their own rate for the paid weeks they take, and the pay has income tax and National Insurance taken off like normal wages.

Maternity pay or shared parental pay?

Statutory Maternity Pay gives 90% of earnings with no cap for the first six weeks, while ShPP is the flat rate throughout. Many families keep the first six weeks as maternity leave to bank that higher rate, then convert the rest to SPL so the other parent can take time off. Work out the mother’s figure first with the maternity pay calculator, then use this tool to split what’s left.

Frequently asked questions

How much is shared parental pay in the UK?

Statutory Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) is paid at the lower of £194.32 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings for 2026-27. Both parents are paid at their own rate for the weeks of paid leave they take.

How many weeks of shared parental leave can we take?

Up to 50 weeks of leave and up to 37 weeks of pay can be shared. You start from the mother's 52 weeks of maternity leave and 39 weeks of pay, then take off whatever she uses as maternity leave and pay. What's left can be split between both parents.

How is shared parental leave calculated?

Take the mother's full entitlement of 52 weeks' leave and 39 weeks' pay, subtract the weeks she takes as maternity leave and maternity pay, and the remainder becomes Shared Parental Leave and Shared Parental Pay. The first two weeks after birth are compulsory maternity leave and cannot be shared.

Is shared parental pay less than maternity pay?

It can be. Statutory Maternity Pay gives 90% of your earnings with no cap for the first six weeks, while Shared Parental Pay is the flat rate of £194.32 a week (or 90% of earnings if lower) throughout. Many parents keep the first six weeks as maternity leave, then switch to SPL.

Is shared parental pay taxed?

Yes. ShPP has income tax and National Insurance deducted like normal wages, so each parent's take-home will be a little lower than the gross figures shown here.

Can both parents be off at the same time on shared parental leave?

Yes. You can take the shared leave at the same time, at different times, or a mix of both. If you both take it together you use up the shared weeks faster, so a 50-week pot taken jointly covers 25 weeks each.

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About the author

Simon Chadwick

Founder of Orbit Money

Simon is the founder of Orbit Money, a tool that helps people track subscriptions and recurring spend. He builds Orbit's free money calculators and writes about personal finance for UK and Australian readers.