Your rights when you're pregnant in the UK: the 2026 guide

Paid time off for appointments, maternity leave and pay, protection from being pushed out, plus what the Employment Rights Act has already changed and what is still coming. Everything you are entitled to, in plain English.

Your rights when you're pregnant in the UK: the 2026 guide

By Motherhood · 9 min read

Telling work you are pregnant can feel like a big moment. Will they be pleased? Will it change how they see you? Knowing exactly where you stand takes a lot of the worry out of it. UK law gives pregnant women and new mums some solid protections, and the rules have been changing, with the Employment Rights Act 2025 bringing in new rights in April 2026 and more due in 2027.

Figures below are for the 2026/27 tax year (from 6 April 2026). This guide covers employees in England, Scotland and Wales; Northern Ireland has similar but separate rules.

Telling your employer

You don't have to tell them straight away. Legally, you need to tell your employer you are pregnant by the end of the 15th week before your due date, which is roughly when you are 25 weeks pregnant. At that point you also tell them when you want your maternity leave to start.

That said, many women tell work earlier, often after the 12-week scan, because several protections only kick in once your employer knows. That includes paid time off for antenatal care and a risk assessment of your job.

Paid time off for antenatal appointments

You can't be made to use holiday or make up the time. If you are an employee, you have the right to reasonable paid time off for antenatal care, from the day you start your job. That covers midwife appointments and scans, and it can include antenatal or parenting classes if your midwife or doctor recommends them. Your employer can ask to see your appointment card after your first appointment.

Your partner gets time off too. The baby's father, your partner or spouse can take unpaid time off to go with you to two antenatal appointments, up to six and a half hours each.

Keeping you safe at work

Once you have told your employer in writing, they should assess the risks your job poses to you and your baby. Think heavy lifting, standing or sitting for long periods, long hours, or exposure to harmful substances. If there are risks, they must take reasonable steps to remove them, such as changing your duties or hours. If they can't, they should offer you suitable alternative work or, as a last resort, suspend you on full pay. The Health and Safety Executive has guidance on what this should look like.

Protection from discrimination

It is against the law to treat you unfairly because you are pregnant. From the moment you are pregnant until the end of your maternity leave, you are in what is called the "protected period". Your employer can't treat you worse because of your pregnancy, a pregnancy-related illness or because you are taking maternity leave. That includes being passed over for promotion, having your hours cut, being left out of training or being dismissed.

Being pregnant is not a performance issue. Pregnancy-related sickness should be recorded separately and not used against you.

Redundancy protection lasts well beyond the birth. If your role is at risk of redundancy, you have the right to be offered a suitable alternative job if one is available, ahead of colleagues who are not protected. This protection starts when you tell your employer you are pregnant and lasts until 18 months after the birth.

There is more to come. The Employment Rights Act 2025 will strengthen protection against dismissal for pregnant women and mothers returning from maternity leave, making it unlawful to dismiss them in most circumstances. According to Acas, this is expected in 2027, with no date set yet. Separately, from 1 January 2027 the qualifying period for general unfair dismissal protection drops from two years to six months.

Maternity leave

Every employee gets up to 52 weeks, whatever their length of service. Statutory maternity leave is made up of 26 weeks of ordinary maternity leave and 26 weeks of additional maternity leave. You don't have to take all of it, but you must take at least two weeks after the birth (four if you work in a factory).

The earliest you can start your leave is 11 weeks before your due date. It will start automatically if your baby arrives early, or if you are off sick with a pregnancy-related illness in the four weeks before your due date.

While you are on maternity leave you keep your employment rights and you keep building up holiday, including bank holidays. Many women add their accrued holiday to the end of their leave or use it to ease back in.

Maternity pay

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is paid for up to 39 weeks. For the first six weeks you get 90% of your average weekly earnings before tax. For the remaining 33 weeks you get £194.32 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower.

To qualify, you need to have worked for your employer continuously for at least 26 weeks by the 15th week before your due date, and earn at least £129 a week on average. Check your contract or staff handbook too, as many employers offer enhanced maternity pay on top.

If you don't qualify for SMP, look at Maternity Allowance. It is paid by the government, up to £194.32 a week for up to 39 weeks, and is designed for people who are self-employed, have recently changed jobs or don't earn enough for SMP. You apply through Jobcentre Plus using form MA1. The GOV.UK maternity pay and leave pages have an eligibility checker.

Your partner's rights

Paternity leave is now a day-one right. Since 6 April 2026, your partner can take up to two weeks' paternity leave from their first day in a job, rather than needing 26 weeks' service. They can take it in one go or as two separate weeks within the first year. Statutory Paternity Pay (£194.32 a week or 90% of earnings, whichever is lower) still has eligibility rules based on length of service and earnings, so check before you plan around it.

You can share the leave. Shared Parental Leave lets you swap some of your maternity leave for leave your partner can take, so you can split up to 50 weeks of leave and 37 weeks of pay between you. You can take it at the same time or in turns.

Unpaid parental leave is a day-one right too. Since April 2026, both parents can take unpaid parental leave (up to 18 weeks per child before their 18th birthday) without waiting a year to qualify.

Free prescriptions, dental care and other support

Free NHS prescriptions and dental care. In England, ask your midwife or GP for a maternity exemption certificate (form FW8). It covers you during pregnancy and for 12 months after your baby is born. Prescriptions are already free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Healthy Start. If you are on certain benefits, you can get a prepaid card for milk, fruit, veg and vitamins from 10 weeks pregnant: £18.60 every four weeks in pregnancy, rising to £37.20 every four weeks for babies under one.
Sure Start Maternity Grant. A one-off £500 payment if it is your first child and you get certain benefits. In Scotland, the Best Start Grant replaces it.
Child Benefit. Once your baby is here, Child Benefit is £27.05 a week for your eldest child and £17.90 for each additional child. Claim even if you think you will pay it back, as it protects your National Insurance record.

If things go wrong

Pregnancy loss. If you lose a baby after 24 weeks of pregnancy, you are still entitled to maternity leave and pay. From April 2027, a new right to up to two weeks' unpaid bereavement leave will also cover pregnancy loss before 24 weeks, for both parents.

If your baby needs neonatal care. Parents of babies admitted to neonatal care within 28 days of birth, for seven days or more, can take up to 12 weeks of neonatal care leave on top of their other leave.

If you think you have been treated unfairly. Talk to your employer or HR first and keep notes of what was said and when. You can get free, impartial advice from Acas on 0300 123 1100, or from the charity Maternity Action. Since 1 October 2026, the time limit for most employment tribunal claims is six months, up from three.

Keep reading

When do I have to tell work I'm pregnant?

By the end of the 15th week before your due date (around 25 weeks pregnant), though telling them earlier means protections like paid antenatal time off apply sooner.

How much is Statutory Maternity Pay in 2026?

90% of your average weekly earnings for six weeks, then £194.32 a week or 90% of your earnings (whichever is lower) for 33 weeks.

Can I be made redundant while pregnant?

Redundancy is not automatically banned, but you must be offered a suitable alternative role if one exists, from when you tell your employer until 18 months after the birth. Being selected because you are pregnant is discrimination.

Can my partner take paternity leave if they've just started a new job?

Yes. Since 6 April 2026, paternity leave is a day-one right, though Statutory Paternity Pay still depends on length of service and earnings.

This guide is general information, correct as of October 2026, and is not legal advice. Rules can differ in Northern Ireland and may change as further parts of the Employment Rights Act come in. For advice on your own situation, contact Acas, Maternity Action or Citizens Advice.

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