UK Qualifying Week Calculator
Calculate your UK qualifying week for Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) and Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP). Your qualifying week is the 15th week before your expected week of childbirth, and it determines your eligibility for maternity and paternity benefits.
Calculator
How the Qualifying Week Works
The qualifying week is a crucial concept for UK maternity and paternity benefits. Here's how it works:
- Find your expected week of childbirth: This is the week (Sunday to Saturday) in which your baby is due. If your due date is a Sunday, that week starts on that Sunday.
- Count back 15 weeks: Your qualifying week is exactly 15 weeks before your expected week of childbirth.
- Check your employment status: You must be employed by your employer in the qualifying week (you don't need to be at work, just employed).
- Check your service length: You must have worked for your employer for at least 26 weeks by the end of the qualifying week.
- Check your earnings: You must earn at least £120 per week (average) in the 8 weeks (or 2 months) before the qualifying week.
Important: The qualifying week is always based on your expected week of childbirth, not the actual birth date. Even if your baby is born early or late, your qualifying week remains the same.