How much Maternity Benefit you get in Ireland, and when your 26 weeks start and end
Estimates only, not financial advice. What you type stays on your device. Checked against sources on 17 Oct 2026.Maternity Benefit in Ireland is €299 a week in 2026 for 26 weeks, rising by €10 in January 2027. Leave must start 2 to 16 weeks before the end of the week your baby is due. With a dependent partner or children, the Illness Benefit rate is paid if it is higher, as in the €538.60 example.
2026 · Rates and rules read from the sources listed on this page (the earliest on 17 Oct 2026); they may have changed since.
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This calculator works out the dates and the money of Maternity Benefit, the Department of Social Protection payment for women on maternity leave who have enough PRSI contributions. The rules come from the Citizens Information pages on Maternity Benefit and Illness Benefit.
The dates. At least 2 and at most 16 weeks of leave must be taken before the end of the week your baby is due, so the latest start is the Monday of the week before the due week. The benefit runs for 26 weeks (156 days, as Sundays are not counted), and up to 16 weeks of unpaid leave may follow. For a baby due on Wednesday 14 January 2026, the latest start is Monday 5 January and the paid weeks end on 5 July 2026.
Not included. Whether you meet the PRSI conditions, premature births, postponements, half-rate Maternity Benefit and children aged 12 or over. For pay after tax, see the Ireland Net Salary Calculator.
The rest of the article, and all 6 questions about Ireland Maternity Benefit Calculator 2026, are on the Ireland Maternity Benefit Calculator 2026 page.
The standard weekly rate is €299 in 2026, according to Citizens Information. Budget 2027 raises it by €10 from January 2027, to €309. The payment lasts 26 weeks, so leave paid entirely at the 2026 rate comes to €7,774. Maternity Benefit is taxable.
At least 2 and at most 16 weeks of the leave must be taken before the end of the week your baby is due. The latest start is the Monday of the week before the due week: for a due date of Wednesday 14 January 2026 the latest start is Monday 5 January 2026.
Yes, when you have dependants. The set rate is compared with the Illness Benefit you would get, including increases for a partner and children, and the higher is paid. Citizens Information's example is €254 + €168.60 for a partner on credits + 2 x €58 for children under 12 = €538.60 a week.
An employee needs at least 39 weeks of PRSI paid in the 12 months before the leave starts, or one of two other combinations in the relevant tax year, which for leave in 2026 is 2024. Self-employed people need 52 weeks of Class S contributions in one of three tax years.
Rates and rules change; check the source before you rely on a figure.
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