Paternity Pay calculator
Statutory Paternity Pay for 2026/27
Your details
Used only for the take-home comparison. Standard code is 1257L.
Used to show the qualifying week — the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth.
Pay needs 26 weeks’ continuous service. Leave is a day-one right from April 2026.
Estimates only — not financial advice. Figures are illustrative statutory rates based on published HMRC / GOV.UK rules, not occupational or enhanced pay. Pension and student loan are off on the leave cashflow. By using this calculator you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms.
Statutory Paternity Pay
Weekly statutory pay
£194.32
2 weeks total £388.64
Eligible for statutory pay
- You appear to qualify for statutory pay on the figures entered.
Average weekly earnings
£1,153.85
Current weekly take-home
£872.26
| Week | Leave take-home | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | £194.32 | −£677.94 |
| 2 | £194.32 | −£677.94 |
Leave cashflow keeps pension and student loan off. Figures replace 2 weeks of salary with statutory pay in the annual tax calculation.
How Statutory Paternity Pay works
Statutory Paternity Pay is paid for 1 or 2 complete weeks at the lower of £194.32 or 90% of your average weekly earnings. This calculator uses 2026/27 rates.
- Enter your gross annual salary — we treat average weekly earnings as salary ÷ 52, the usual figure when pay is steady.
- Check the service test — pay needs 26 weeks’ continuous service by the qualifying week. From April 2026 you can take the leave from day one even if pay is not due.
- Compare cashflow — leave weeks are shown against current take-home with pension and student loan switched off.
Eligibility for 2026/27
- Leave: employees can take paternity leave from the first day of employment (from 6 April 2026).
- Pay: 26 weeks’ continuous service by any day in the qualifying week, still employed at the birth, and average weekly earnings of at least £129.
- The qualifying week is the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth (Sunday to Saturday).
- v1 is statutory only — enhanced employer schemes, adoption and neonatal pay are out of scope.
Frequently asked questions
Is paternity leave still a 26-week right?
No. From 6 April 2026 the leave itself is a day-one right. Statutory Paternity Pay still needs the 26-week service test and the Lower Earnings Limit.
Does this include my employer’s enhanced scheme?
Not in v1. The figures are statutory only. If your employer pays more, treat this as the legal minimum.
Why are pension and student loan off?
Leave cashflow is modelled with those deductions off so the statutory drop is not mixed with optional or plan-specific deductions. You can still model them on the main salary calculator.