UK Maternity & Parental Leave
UK parental leave isn't a single combined "maternity + parental" entitlement like Korea's. Instead, Maternity Leave, Paternity Leave, Shared Parental Leave (SPL), and Unpaid Parental Leave exist separately, with Statutory Pay layered on top.
Statutory Maternity Leave & Pay
- Maternity Leave: up to 52 weeks (about 1 year), the basic entitlement of an employed worker.
- Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP): up to 39 weeks:
- First 6 weeks at 90% of average weekly earnings.
- Next 33 weeks at the lower of the statutory flat rate or 90% of average earnings.
- Final 13 weeks unpaid (you can still take the leave).
- Eligibility: typically 26+ weeks with the same employer at the start of the qualifying week before the due date, plus other conditions.
- If you don't qualify for SMP: the self-employed and short-tenure workers may instead qualify for Maternity Allowance (MA) based on NI contributions.
Statutory Paternity Leave & Pay
- Length: 1 or 2 weeks. (After the 2024 changes, can be split flexibly within 1 year of birth.)
- Pay: lower of the statutory flat rate or 90% of average earnings.
- Eligibility based on tenure and employer status.
Shared Parental Leave (SPL)
- Lets parents share part of the maternity entitlement (introduced 2015).
- Up to 50 weeks SPL combined plus 37 weeks ShPP (Shared Parental Pay), split or taken concurrently.
- Eligibility is somewhat complex, so uptake is limited in practice.
Adoption Leave & Pay
- Adoptive parents have entitlements broadly equivalent to maternity leave and pay.
Unpaid Parental Leave
- Parents of children under 18 can take up to 18 weeks of unpaid leave per child (limited to 4 weeks per year).
Pregnancy and birth healthcare
- NHS antenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal care is free for residents (including IHS-paid visa holders).
- Some prescription exemptions and a free dental Maternity Exemption Card are available.
Things to watch as a Korean resident
- Employment status is decisive: SMP and SPP are for employed workers. The self-employed, freelancers, and short-tenure workers should look at Maternity Allowance instead, which is based on NI contributions.
- Public funds classification: SMP, SPP, and SPL are employment-based rights and are generally available even on NRPF visas. Maternity Allowance and UC top-ups can be restricted by visa status.
- If you plan to return to Korea: these entitlements apply only while you live and work in the UK. Korea's separate maternity scheme is independent.
- Employer (occupational) maternity pay: many UK employers offer better-than-statutory schemes (e.g., 100% for the first 6 months). Check the HR policy when you start.
This is general guidance as of 2026; statutory amounts, eligibility, and durations are reset each financial year (April). Reconfirm on official sites before applying.
Official guidance: GOV.UK Maternity Pay and Leave, GOV.UK Shared Parental Leave