The short answer
- The mother ends her maternity leave early; the weeks left become Shared Parental Leave.
- Up to 50 weeks of leave and 37 weeks of pay can be shared.
- Pay is £194.32 a week or 90% of earnings if less, for both parents.
- Each parent can book up to three blocks, with 8 weeks’ notice for each.
How the sharing works
The mother is entitled to 52 weeks of maternity leave and 39 weeks of maternity pay. The first two weeks after the birth are compulsory leave. If she gives notice to end her maternity leave early, whatever is left can be shared.
- Leave left: 52 − 2032 weeks
- Paid weeks left: 39 − 2019 weeks
- Partner takes 12 weeks12 paid
The partner’s two weeks of paternity leave are separate and do not come out of the shared weeks. From April 2026 a partner can take paternity leave even after shared parental leave.
Who is eligible
Both parents have to pass a test, but the tests are different.
- Status
- An employee
- Service
- 26 weeks by the 15th week before the due week
- For pay
- Average earnings of £129 a week or more
- Status
- Employed or self-employed
- Work
- 26 of the 66 weeks before the due week
- Earnings
- £390 or more in 13 of those weeks
The mother must also be entitled to maternity leave, Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance. A self-employed mother on Maternity Allowance can end it early so that her employed partner can take shared leave.
Shared parental pay
Statutory Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) is the lower of £194.32 a week or 90% of the parent’s average weekly earnings. Each parent’s pay is based on their own earnings.
| Salary | Average weekly earnings | Weekly shared parental pay |
|---|---|---|
| £9,000 | £173.08 | £155.77 |
| £20,000 | £384.62 | £194.32 |
| £42,000 | £807.69 | £194.32 |
Pay is taxed through payroll like maternity and paternity pay.
Comparing plans
For a mother on £36,000 and a partner on £42,000, using statutory pay only:
| Plan | Mother | Partner | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mother takes all 52 weeks | £10,151 | £0 | £10,151 |
| Switch at 26 weeks, partner takes 26 | £7,625 | £2,526 | £10,151 |
| Switch at 20 weeks, partner takes 12 | £6,459 | £2,332 | £8,791 |
| Switch at 6 weeks, partner takes 33 | £3,738 | £6,413 | £10,151 |
| Switch at 4 weeks, partner takes 35 | £2,492 | £6,801 | £9,294 |
On statutory pay, sharing does not usually change the family total, because both parents get the same flat rate after the first six weeks. It changes who is at home, and when. Leaving paid weeks unused, as in the 20-and-12 plan, simply loses that pay.
Why the first six weeks matter
The first six weeks of maternity pay are at 90% of earnings with no upper limit. Shared parental pay never exceeds £194.32. If the mother ends maternity leave before six weeks, the remaining high-rate weeks become flat-rate weeks.
Switching at 4 weeks costs £857 here
In the example above, switching at 4 weeks gives £9,294 against £10,151 when switching at 6 weeks. The two high-rate weeks lost are worth £428.76 more each than the flat rate.
Booking leave in blocks
- Each parent can give up to three notices booking leave, plus changes.
- A continuous block, such as 10 weeks in a row, cannot be refused by the employer.
- A discontinuous block, such as alternate weeks, can be refused; it then becomes one continuous block unless you withdraw it.
- Parents can be off at the same time, as long as the total stays within the shared weeks.
- All shared leave must end by the child’s first birthday, or one year after adoption placement.
Notice and paperwork
- Before maternity leave endsCurtailment notice
The mother gives notice to end maternity leave or pay on a future date, at least 8 weeks ahead.
- 8 weeks beforeNotice of entitlement
Each parent tells their own employer how much leave they plan to take, with a declaration from the other parent.
- 8 weeks before each blockBooking notice
Each period of leave needs at least 8 weeks' notice to that parent's employer.
Curtailment notice is usually binding once given, but can be withdrawn in a few cases, such as if the partner turns out not to qualify.
Employer enhanced pay
Many employers top up maternity pay, but fewer top up shared parental pay. If the mother has generous enhanced maternity pay and her partner gets only statutory pay, switching early can cost the family thousands.
Before planning, check both employers’ policies. Some offer the same enhanced pay for shared leave as for maternity leave, but they are not required to.
Working during shared leave
Each parent can work up to 20 “shared parental leave in touch” (SPLIT) days without ending their leave. These are on top of the mother’s 10 keeping in touch days during maternity leave. Pay for the days is agreed with the employer.
Adoption and surrogacy
Shared Parental Leave works the same way for adopters and intended parents in surrogacy. The main adopter ends their adoption leave early, and the remaining weeks are shared. Statutory Adoption Pay pays 90% for the first six weeks, so the same timing trap applies.
When one employer pays more
A mother earning £36,000 has an employer scheme paying full pay for 26 weeks. Her partner gets statutory pay only.
| Plan | Mother | Partner | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mother takes 39 weeks of paid leave | £20,526 | £0 | £20,526 |
| Mother switches at 20 weeks, partner takes 19 | £13,846 | £3,692 | £17,538 |
Switching early gives up six weeks of the mother’s full pay, so the family is about £2,988 worse off. In this case it may be better for the partner to take shared leave after week 26, when the full pay has ended.
Being off at the same time
Shared Parental Leave does not have to be taken in turns. The partner can take shared leave while the mother is still on maternity leave, so you are both at home in the early weeks.
- Mother ends maternity leave atWeek 30
- Leave left to share: 52 − 3022 weeks
- Partner takes, overlapping weeks 3 to 64 weeks
To do this, the mother gives notice to end her maternity leave at week 30 before the partner’s leave starts. The partner’s weeks then count against the shared total, even though they fall during her maternity leave.
Talking to your employers
Before you give formal notice, it helps to speak to both employers informally. Ask:
- Do you pay enhanced shared parental pay, and on what conditions?
- Are you likely to agree to discontinuous blocks?
- How will cover be arranged, and how will we keep in touch?
- Can I use holiday next to the shared leave?
Employers often agree arrangements they could legally refuse if they have time to plan. Eight weeks is the minimum notice; giving more makes agreement more likely.
Step by step: booking shared leave
- Check both parents meet the eligibility tests, and look up both employers’ pay policies.
- Decide roughly how you want to split the weeks, and whether you want to overlap.
- The mother gives notice to end maternity leave and pay on a future date.
- Each parent gives their employer a notice of entitlement and intention, with a declaration from the other parent.
- Each parent books their first block of leave with at least 8 weeks’ notice.
- Book later blocks, up to three each in total, again with 8 weeks’ notice.
Employers often provide their own forms. Keep copies of everything you send and the replies, in case dates need to change.
Why many couples do not use it
Only a small share of eligible parents take shared parental leave. The usual reasons are:
- Money: the partner often earns more and would drop to £194.32 a week, while the mother may have enhanced pay.
- Complexity: the notices and declarations put people off, especially when plans are uncertain.
- Breastfeeding and recovery: many mothers prefer to take the early months themselves.
- Workplace culture: some partners worry about how a long absence will be seen.
Even a short block of shared leave, such as a month when the mother returns to work, can make the handover to childcare easier, and it does not have to cost the family money if the weeks are paid ones.
An example year
- Weeks 1 to 2Both at home
The mother's compulsory maternity leave; the partner takes two weeks of paternity leave.
- Weeks 3 to 26Mother on maternity leave
Six weeks at 90% of earnings, then £194.32 a week.
- Weeks 27 to 39Partner on shared parental leave
13 paid weeks at £194.32. The mother's maternity leave ended at week 26.
- Weeks 40 to 52Unpaid shared leave, or back to work
13 weeks of unpaid leave are left to share, or to use for a gradual start at nursery.
For a mother on £36,000 and a partner on £42,000, this plan pays £10,151 in total, the same as the mother taking all 39 paid weeks, while giving the partner three months at home.