Guide to maternity leave in Europe

Table of contents

1. What is maternity leave?

2. Snapshot of maternity leave entitlement across Europe

3. Preparing for maternity leave

4. Does health insurance cover pregnancy?

5. The growth of paternity leave

Have a read of our guide to discover an overview of the different maternity allowances in Europe.

What is maternity leave?

Maternity leave is the name given to the period taken off work by women when they have a baby or adopt a child.

How long the leave is, or how much maternity pay is offered, will depend on a number of factors, including the country’s regulations and the mother’s individual needs and preferences. Businesses can also decide their own maternity leave packages, with some offering minimum allowances and others having more generous schemes.

In the European Union, women have the right to at least 14 weeks of paid maternity leave at the “national sick pay level”, 2 weeks of which are mandatory. However, how the leave is regulated can vary between countries, and countries outside of the EU govern their own maternity policies.

Snapshot of maternity leave entitlement across Europe

Below we’ve put together a snapshot of different maternity leave entitlements in select European countries to give you an idea of what is on offer.

Bulgaria

Bulgaria has the longest maternity leave allowance in Europe, providing 410 days of leave per child.

Mothers are paid 90% of their average daily income during this period, but to qualify they must have been paying social insurance contributions for general illness and pregnancy in the 12 months leading up to when the leave starts.

Sweden

In Sweden, both parents are entitled to equal leave when it comes to having a baby. It allows them to take 480 days off from work, with each parent entitled to 240 days.

They receive approximately 80% of their salary for 390 days. This is paid in accordance with the sickness benefit rate, which has a minimum payment threshold of 250 SEK (22 EUR) each day. After this, the amount drops to the minimum level of 180 SEK (15.91 Euros) per day for the remaining 90 days.

Norway

Norway also offers parents equal leave – they are eligible for a total of 12 months off work. This can start up to 12 weeks before the baby’s due date and if they're having twins, can be extended by up to 17 weeks.

Parental benefit is also provided to Norwegian employees, and is paid at 100% of their salary for 49 weeks, or 80% for 59 weeks. Parents may take leave at the same time after the first six weeks, but must first receive written permission from their employer.

Switzerland

In Switzerland, women are eligible for 14 weeks of maternity leave if they meet certain criteria. This includes working for at least 5 months of the pregnancy and paying social security contributions in the nine months before the birth.

They will receive 80% of their average salary during this time up to a limit of CHF 220 (232 EUR) per day.

Ireland

Ireland’s maternity entitlement provides mothers with 26 weeks of ordinary maternity leave and 16 weeks of additional maternity leave.

Mothers will receive €276 per week during the ordinary maternity leave, which is taxable. However, additional leave is unpaid, and employers are not legally obliged to pay employees during this time.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, women are eligible for a maximum of 52 weeks of maternity leave when having a child. This can begin from 11 weeks before the birth of the child.

Statutory maternity pay (SMP) is paid to employees for up to 39 weeks at a rate of 90%, untaxed for the first six weeks. For the remaining 13 weeks, you will still receive 90% of your weekly income, but it is taxable.

Preparing for maternity leave

There are a lot of things to consider before going on maternity leave, and planning ahead can help you feel less stressed and more prepared for this new chapter.

You’ll need to tell your employer about your pregnancy, but the regulations around doing this will depend on the country you live in. Once this is done, you can agree upon a day to begin your maternity leave.

Also don’t forget to try and practice self-care where possible, which could comprise of activities such as reading your favourite book or cooking yourself a nourishing meal. This can have numerous benefits, including increasing your energy and improving your general wellbeing.

Click here for further details on how you can incorporate self-care activities into your everyday life.

Does health insurance cover pregnancy?

If you’re thinking about purchasing private health insurance cover, it’s important to know that there could be a waiting period before you can be covered for pregnancy.

However, there could be limited occasions when maternity cover is accessible, such as issues arising from pregnancy-related complications.

For further information about what can be covered with international health insurance, click here.

The growth of paternity leave

In recent years there has been a rise in paternity leave entitlement across Europe.

For example, the EU enhanced paternity leave from 15 to 20 days in 2019, and since April 2024, paternity allowance can now be taken in two separate blocks in the United Kingdom. This means that fathers can take it all in one go or one week at a time, increasing the flexibility it offers.

Despite growth in this area, it is still thought that only approximately half of the countries worldwide offer paternity leave.