Do pension contributions continue during maternity leave?

Full answer

Pension contributions during maternity leave are governed by a combination of employment law, pension scheme rules, and auto-enrolment regulations. **During paid maternity leave (weeks 1–39)** If the employee is enrolled in a workplace pension: - **Employer contributions** must continue and must be calculated on the employee's normal contractual salary (the salary she would have earned if not on maternity leave) - **Employee contributions** are calculated on actual pay received — Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) in weeks 7–39 (£187.18/week in 2026/27) or 90% of normal pay in weeks 1–6 **Worked example** An employee earns £30,000/year. Employer contributes 5% (£1,500/year). During SMP period the employee receives £187.18/week but the employer must still contribute 5% × £30,000 = £1,500/year. The employee's own contributions are 5% of £187.18/week ≈ £9.36/week. **During unpaid maternity leave (weeks 40–52)** - **Employer contributions** can cease during additional maternity leave unless the employment contract or pension scheme rules specify otherwise - **Employee contributions** also pause (as there is no pay to base them on) - The employee remains a member of the pension scheme and counts the period as a period of active membership for vesting purposes **Auto-enrolment and re-enrolment** The employer's auto-enrolment duty to make contributions continues throughout the paid leave period. On return from maternity leave, employees are automatically re-enrolled if they had opted out. **Defined benefit schemes** In final salary or career average schemes, the maternity leave period typically counts as full pensionable service for employer-funded benefits, but the employee's own contributions are based on actual pay received.