Paternity pay calculator
Statutory Paternity Pay for 2026/27 is the lower of £194.32 a week or 90% of average weekly earnings, paid for up to 2 weeks, under gov.uk's paternity pay and leave rules. This calculator estimates the weekly rate that applies and the total across the leave taken, before tax and National Insurance are deducted.
Your average earnings look below the £129 a week qualifying limit, so you may keep the leave but not the statutory pay.
How is Statutory Paternity Pay worked out?
Statutory Paternity Pay is a flat, capped amount, as set out on gov.uk's paternity pay and leave page.
Each week pays whichever is lower of £194.32 or 90% of average weekly earnings, and up to 2 weeks can be taken.
For most employees on a normal salary the flat rate is the binding figure, so the two-week total is an estimated £388.64 before tax.
Only lower earners fall on the 90% side of the test, where the weekly figure drops below the flat rate.
Since April 2024 the two weeks have been more flexible, under a rule change confirmed on gov.uk. They can be split into two single weeks and taken at any time in the year after the birth, rather than being locked to the first eight weeks. The pay is the same however the weeks are arranged, so the flexibility affects fitting leave around childcare rather than the amount paid.
What would I get in a worked example?
On a £30,000 salary average weekly earnings are about £577, and 90% of that is roughly £519.
Because that is above the £194.32 flat rate published on gov.uk, the weekly figure is capped there at £194.
Two weeks of leave therefore pay an estimated £389 before tax.
Anything an employer adds through an enhanced paternity scheme sits on top of this figure and depends on the contract in place.
Common questions
How much is statutory paternity pay in 2026/27?
Statutory Paternity Pay is the lower of £194.32 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings. You can take up to 2 weeks, so the most you get is £388.64 before tax, unless 90% of your pay is lower still. Employers can pay more under their own scheme, which is separate from this.
How many weeks of paternity leave can I take?
You can take up to 2 weeks of statutory paternity leave. Since April 2024 the two weeks can be taken as a single block or as two separate one-week blocks, and at any point within 52 weeks of the birth or placement rather than only in the first 8 weeks.
Do I qualify for paternity pay?
You need to have been employed by the same employer for at least 26 weeks by the qualifying week, still be employed when the child arrives, and earn on average at least £129 a week for 2026/27. If you earn less than that you keep the leave but may not get the statutory pay.
Is paternity pay taxed?
Yes. Statutory Paternity Pay is treated as earnings, so income tax and National Insurance are taken off through payroll in the normal way. The figures shown here are gross, before those deductions.
Can both parents get statutory pay?
One parent can take Statutory Paternity Pay while the other takes maternity or adoption pay. If you want to share the mother’s leave and pay more flexibly, Shared Parental Leave is the route, and it works differently from the fixed 2-week paternity block.
How is Statutory Paternity Pay worked out?
Each week of Statutory Paternity Pay is set at whichever is lower of £194.32 or 90% of average weekly earnings, and up to 2 weeks can be taken. For most employees on a normal salary the flat rate applies, since 90% of their earnings is higher. Only lower earners, whose 90% figure falls below the flat rate, are paid on the 90% side of the test instead.
What would I get in a worked example?
On a £30,000 salary average weekly earnings are about £577, and 90% of that is roughly £519, which is above the £194.32 flat rate. The weekly figure is therefore capped at the flat rate, so two weeks of leave would pay an estimated £389 before tax and National Insurance. An employer offering an enhanced scheme may add to this figure under its own contract terms.
Sources & Rate Verification
Rates verified against official statutory guidance on 6 September 2026.