Paternity Pay Calculator
Use this paternity pay calculator to work out Statutory Paternity Pay for one or two weeks of leave. SPP pays the lower of £194.32 a week or 90% of average weekly earnings. Enter your salary, choose how many weeks you are taking, and see the weekly amount and the total straight away.
Gross pay for a full year. Weekly pay is worked out as salary divided by 52.
The two weeks can be taken together or as two separate one-week blocks in the first year after the birth.
Your result
£388.64
Total Statutory Paternity Pay for 2 weeks of leave
- Weekly SPP amount:
- £194.32 — the flat statutory rate, because 90% of average weekly earnings is higher than £194.32.
- If you took both weeks:
- £388.64 in total.
SPP is paid by the employer through the normal payroll, in the same way as ordinary wages. Many employers top it up to full pay under their own policies — check your contract or staff handbook.
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How does Statutory Paternity Pay work?
Statutory Paternity Pay is paid by the employer through the normal payroll for up to two weeks of paternity leave. The weekly amount is whichever is lower: the flat statutory rate of £194.32, or 90% of the employee's average weekly earnings. Most full-time employees earn enough that the flat rate applies; the 90% rule mainly affects lower earners, whose SPP is 90% of what they usually take home in a week.
On a salary of £31,200.00 a year, average weekly earnings are £600.00, so SPP is the flat rate of £194.32 a week — £388.64 for the full two weeks.
Who qualifies for paternity pay?
To get Statutory Paternity Pay you need 26 weeks of continuous employment with the same employer by the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth, you must still be employed by them when the baby is born, and your average weekly earnings must be at least £129.00 a week — the 2026/27 Lower Earnings Limit. Similar rules apply for adoption and surrogacy, measured against the matching week instead of the due date.
Taking the two weeks separately
The rules changed in April 2024. Fathers and partners no longer have to take their two weeks together, or in the first weeks after the birth: the leave can be split into two separate one-week blocks and taken at any point in the first year. That makes it easier to save a week for later — for example, for when the mother returns to work. Notice of 28 days is generally needed for each block.
A note for employers
Employers pay SPP through payroll but can recover most of it from HMRC: 92% of the SPP paid, rising to 109% if the employer's total Class 1 National Insurance for the previous tax year was £45,000 or less. Any occupational top-up above SPP is the employer's own cost. If you are working out the full cost of employing someone, our employer National Insurance calculator shows the NICs on top of salary.
Statutory rates used by this calculator
| Rate | Amount |
|---|---|
| SPP flat weekly rate | £194.32 per week |
| SPP earnings-related amount | 90% of average weekly earnings, if lower |
| Maximum SPP | 2 weeks |
| Minimum earnings to qualify | £129.00 per week (Lower Earnings Limit) |
Rates: 2026/27 rates — verified against GOV.UK. Last verified: 7 November 2026.
Frequently asked 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. On a salary of £31,200 a year (£600 a week), 90% of earnings is £540, so you get the flat rate of £194.32 a week — £388.64 for the full two weeks.
Who qualifies for Statutory Paternity Pay?
You must have worked for the same employer continuously for at least 26 weeks by the 15th week before the baby is due, still be employed by them when the baby is born, and earn at least £129 a week on average (the 2026/27 Lower Earnings Limit). You also need to be the baby's father, the mother's partner, or an intended parent in a surrogacy or adoption arrangement.
Can I take my two weeks of paternity leave separately?
Yes. Since April 2024 you can take the two weeks as one block of two, or as two separate blocks of one week each, at any point in the first year after the birth or adoption placement. You generally need to give 28 days' notice for each period of leave.
Does my employer have to pay full pay during paternity leave?
No — the legal minimum is Statutory Paternity Pay. Many employers offer more under their own paternity or family-leave policies, sometimes full pay for part or all of the leave. Check your contract or staff handbook, because occupational pay is common in larger organisations.
Can employers claim SPP back from HMRC?
Yes, unlike Statutory Sick Pay. Employers recover Statutory Paternity Pay through their payroll: 92% of what they pay, or 109% if their total Class 1 National Insurance bill for the previous tax year was £45,000 or less.