Maternity and Paternity Leave and Pay in Northern Ireland: What nidirect Says About Notice, Pay and Returning to Work (Northern Ireland)

Most guides to leave from work describe England, Scotland and Wales, and Northern Ireland is easy to overlook even though the headline entitlements are similar. Nidirect, the Northern Ireland government’s information service, publishes its own pages on Statutory Maternity Leave, Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) and paternity leave. This guide summarises them, with the figures shown in September 2026, and covers Northern Ireland only. The site’s guides to maternity leave in England, Scotland and Wales és paternity and shared parental leave cover the rest of Great Britain. This is general information.

Statutory Maternity Leave: 52 weeks

Nidirect says Statutory Maternity Leave is 52 weeks for employees: 26 weeks of Ordinary Maternity Leave and 26 weeks of Additional Maternity Leave. It says an employee who gives the right notice can take it however long they have been with the employer, however many hours they work and however much they are paid. An employer’s own scheme may be more generous, and nidirect says an employer cannot offer less than the legal rights.

Notice and start dates

Nidirect says notice must be given at least 15 weeks before the beginning of the week the baby is due, stating when the baby is due and when the leave will start. The start date can be changed with at least 28 days’ notice. Leave can start any time from 11 weeks before the week the baby is due, and starts the day after the birth if the baby arrives early. Two weeks of leave after the birth (four weeks for factory workers) are compulsory.

Statutory Maternity Pay: up to 39 weeks

Nidirect says SMP is paid for a maximum of 39 weeks, at 90 per cent of average gross weekly earnings with no upper limit for the first six weeks, and then for the remaining 33 weeks at the lower of £194.32 (for 2026 to 2027) or 90 per cent of average gross weekly earnings. Average weekly earnings must be at least the lower earnings limit, which nidirect gives as £129 in 2026 to 2027.

SMP is paid like normal wages, with income tax and National Insurance deducted. The pay is the same if more than one baby is expected, it does not have to be repaid if the person does not return to work, and it counts towards any pay from the employer’s own scheme.

Rights during leave

Nidirect says employment terms other than wages are protected during Statutory Maternity Leave, including holiday and pension contributions. The employer must keep making its usual pension contributions during the first 26 weeks and for any time SMP or contractual maternity pay is received. It is automatically unfair to make someone redundant or dismiss them for a reason connected with maternity leave, and someone made redundant on maternity leave has the right to be offered any suitable alternative job, with a four-week trial period. Up to ten keeping in touch days may be worked by agreement without losing SMP or ending the leave.

Returning to work

After Ordinary Maternity Leave the right is to the same job on the same terms. After Additional Maternity Leave the right is the same unless it is not reasonably practicable, in which case the employer must offer alternative work with the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not been away. Nidirect says the employer will assume all 52 weeks will be taken, so no notice of return is needed if the full period is taken, though it is helpful to tell the employer; returning earlier, for example when SMP ends, requires at least eight weeks’ notice. The site’s guide to going back to work covers the Great Britain position.

Paternity leave: one or two weeks

Nidirect says paternity leave is for employees who are the child’s biological father, the mother’s or adopter’s husband or partner (including same-sex), the adopter, or an intended parent through surrogacy. To qualify, the employee must have worked for the employer for at least 26 weeks by the end of the 15th week before the week the baby is due. Leave is one week or two consecutive weeks, not odd days, and it must finish within 56 days of the birth. Written notice must be given at least 15 weeks before the week the baby is due, and the start date can be changed with 28 days’ notice. A person who takes shared parental leave first cannot then take paternity leave.

Statutory Paternity Pay

Nidirect says Statutory Paternity Pay is paid for one or two consecutive weeks at £194.32 or 90 per cent of average weekly earnings if that is less, for those earning an average of at least £129 a week before tax. During paternity leave employment terms other than wages are protected, holiday builds up, and pension contributions continue while pay is received. After paternity leave the right is to return to the same job.

Frequently asked questions

What is the standard SMP rate? Nidirect gives £194.32 a week for 2026 to 2027, or 90 per cent of average gross weekly earnings if that is lower.

How much notice for maternity leave? At least 15 weeks before the week the baby is due, according to nidirect.

Can paternity leave be taken as single days? No. Nidirect says it is one week or two consecutive weeks.

The bottom line

In Northern Ireland, employees can take 52 weeks of Statutory Maternity Leave with up to 39 weeks of SMP, and eligible partners can take one or two weeks of paternity leave paid at up to £194.32 a week. Give notice at least 15 weeks before the week the baby is due and check any employer scheme for more generous terms.

Sources

• nidirect, "Statutory Maternity Leave"
• nidirect, "SMP – how it is worked out"
• nidirect, "Entitlements during Statutory Maternity Leave"
• nidirect, "Statutory Maternity Leave: returning to work"
• nidirect, "Paternity leave"
• nidirect, "Statutory Paternity Pay"