Maternity Leave in the UK: What Employers Need to Know – And How Outsourcery Can Help

Navigating maternity leave as an employer is not just a legal obligation—it’s an opportunity to show your team that you support them through life’s biggest moments. But ensuring business continuity while doing the right thing can be challenging, especially for small businesses. That’s where flexible, remote support solutions like Outsourcery come in.

Employer Obligations: Understanding Maternity Leave in the UK

In the UK, eligible employees are entitled to up to 52 weeks of maternity leave. The first 26 weeks are ‘Ordinary Maternity Leave’, and the following 26 weeks are ‘Additional Maternity Leave’. Employees don’t have to take the full 52 weeks but must take at least 2 weeks after the birth (or 4 weeks for factory workers).

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is available for up to 39 weeks. For the first 6 weeks, employees receive 90% of their average weekly earnings before tax. For the remaining 33 weeks, they get either £172.48 a week (2024/25 rate) or 90% of their average weekly earnings—whichever is lower.

Gov.uk has a full breakdown of maternity rights and pay.

As an employer, you’re also responsible for:

• Confirming maternity leave dates and pay entitlements.
  
• Keeping in touch during maternity leave (up to 10 optional ‘KIT’ days).
  
• Ensuring the employee returns to the same or a similar role.
  
• Covering workloads to maintain business operations.
  

That last point is often the toughest, especially for lean teams or fast-paced industries.

The Solution? Remote Support from Outsourcery

When a key team member goes on maternity leave, hiring a full-time replacement isn’t always feasible—or necessary. Outsourcery offers a smart, cost-effective way to keep things running smoothly without adding permanent headcount.

Here’s how we support businesses across the UK during maternity cover and beyond:

Seamless Cover Without Long-Term Commitment

Outsourcery provides highly skilled virtual professionals across roles such as administration, marketing, finance, and customer service. You get the cover you need while maintaining momentum and avoiding disruptions.

Explore our How It Works page to see the onboarding process in action.

Absolutely! Here’s a refined version of that section with your direction in mind—emphasising the shift from in-house to remote support as a strategic, economical decision:

Benefit 2: A Strategic Shift with Big Rewards – No HR Headaches or Additional Costs

If you’re considering a more flexible and cost-effective way to run your business, making the switch from in-house roles to full-time remote support is a powerful move. It’s not just about maternity cover—it’s about building a leaner, more resilient team model.

When you partner with Outsourcery, you’re gaining access to top-tier professionals without the obligations that come with traditional employment. That means:

• No payroll or HR admin – we handle all the contracts, compliance, and paperwork.
  
• No maternity benefit liabilities – we’re the legal employer, so we take on the responsibility.
  
• Guaranteed continuity – if your dedicated Outsourcerer takes leave, we provide a seamless replacement at no additional cost to you.
  

This approach isn’t just about filling a gap—it’s a strategic shift towards a more agile, future-ready business.

It’s a futureproof, flexible solution that protects your business from the unexpected—while keeping your team productive and your clients happy.

💬 “Outsourcery has been a lifeline during our maternity cover period. We kept operations running and even improved our processes.” – UK SME Owner

Why More Employers Are Turning to Remote Support

• Flexibility: 60% of UK businesses say flexibility is now a core hiring consideration (CIPD).
  
• Cost-effectiveness: Hiring virtual support can reduce operational costs by up to 78% compared to hiring in-house (Outsourcery internal data).
  
• Access to top talent: Outsourcery connects you with trained professionals in admin, marketing, finance, and more—without the overheads.
  

Final Thoughts: Maternity Leave with Confidence

Supporting team members through maternity leave is both a duty and a privilege. But it doesn’t have to come at the cost of your business goals. With Outsourcery’s remote support experts, you gain reliable, scalable coverage—on your terms.

📩 Need maternity cover for your team? Get in touch today, and let us help you stay productive while supporting your employees’ journeys.