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Maternity Benefit calculator

2026 and 2027 rates

Maternity Benefit is €299 a week for 26 weeks in 2026, rising to €309 from January 2027 under Budget 2027. Enter your due date to see when your leave starts and ends, and what you get in total.

Maternity Benefit a week 
Total Maternity Benefit
 
Weeks paid
 
Leave starts
 
Paid leave ends
 
Payment
Leave dates

Maternity Benefit is taxable but has no USC or PRSI. Any top-up from your employer is extra and depends on your contract.

This is an estimate for general information, based on the rates and rules described on this page. It is not financial, tax or legal advice and does not take account of your full circumstances. Check your own position with the Department of Social Protection, the relevant scheme or Citizens Information before making a decision. Terms of use.

Illustration for the maternity benefit calculator

How Maternity Benefit is worked out

Maternity Benefit is a flat weekly payment for 26 weeks: €299 a week in 2026 and €309 a week from January 2027 (announced). It does not depend on your pay. We take the week your baby is due as Monday to Sunday, start your leave the number of weeks you choose before the end of that week, and count 26 weeks from there. Each week is paid at the rate for the date it starts, so leave that runs into January picks up the new rate.

After the paid weeks you can take up to 16 weeks of unpaid maternity leave. You get a PRSI credit for each unpaid week, but no payment.

Example from Citizens Information. Your baby is due on Wednesday 14 January 2026. The latest start for your leave is Monday 5 January 2026, 2 weeks before the end of the due week. Paid leave runs to Sunday 5 July 2026: 26 weeks at €299, €7,774 in total. With all 16 weeks of unpaid leave, you would go back to work on 26 October 2026.

Leave over the new year. With a due date of 7 October 2026, leave starts on 28 September 2026. 14 weeks at €299 and 12 weeks at €309 come to €7,894.

Other family leave payments

PaymentWeeks20262027
Maternity Benefit26€299€309
Paternity Benefit2€299€309
Parent's Benefit (each parent)9€299€309

Paternity Benefit is for 2 weeks in a row within 6 months of the birth or adoption. Parent's Benefit can be taken in separate weeks or all together, before the child's second birthday. Adoptive Benefit is paid at the same rate as Maternity Benefit.

Not included: the higher rate for people with dependants (based on Illness Benefit), half-rate Maternity Benefit alongside another welfare payment, and the extra weeks after a premature birth.

Sources

Rates last checked 10 October 2026. Every figure is listed on rates and sources.

Figures marked as announced come from Budget 2027 and are not law until the Finance Act 2026 is signed.

Questions

How much is Maternity Benefit?
€299 a week in 2026. Budget 2027 announced an increase to €309 a week from January 2027. It is a flat rate: it does not depend on your salary. If you have an adult or child dependants, you get the Illness Benefit rate with increases for them instead, if that is higher.
How long is Maternity Benefit paid for?
26 weeks. You can take up to 16 more weeks of unpaid maternity leave straight after it. Unpaid leave gets you a PRSI credit for each week, but no payment from the Department of Social Protection.
When does maternity leave start?
You choose the start date, but at least 2 weeks and no more than 16 weeks of your leave must fall before the end of the week your baby is due. So the latest start is the Monday of the week before your due week. At least 4 weeks must be taken after the end of the due week.
Is Maternity Benefit taxed?
Maternity Benefit is taxable income, but USC and PRSI are not charged on it. Revenue usually collects the tax by reducing your tax credits and rate band at work, so you may see less tax back on any top-up pay from your employer, or a smaller refund.
Will my employer pay me during maternity leave?
Employers do not have to pay you on maternity leave. Some top up your pay, often to full salary for some or all of the 26 weeks, under your contract. They may ask for your Maternity Benefit to be paid to them while they pay you. Check your contract or staff handbook.
Who qualifies for Maternity Benefit?
You need enough PRSI contributions: for example, 39 weeks of PRSI paid in the 12 months before your leave starts (other tests apply for the self-employed and for people with gaps). Your employer certifies your leave on form MB2. Apply at least 6 weeks before your leave starts, or 12 weeks if self-employed, on MyWelfare.ie.
What happens if my baby arrives early?
If your baby is born before your leave was due to start, Maternity Benefit runs for 26 weeks from the birth, plus an extra period equal to the gap between the birth and your planned start date.
What are Paternity Benefit and Parent's Benefit?
Paternity Benefit is 2 weeks at €299 a week (€309 from January 2027), taken in the first 6 months after the birth. Parent's Benefit is 9 weeks per parent at the same rate, taken before the child turns 2. Both need enough PRSI contributions, and both are taxable without USC or PRSI.

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