Paid Parental Leave calculator
What government-funded parental leave is worth across the weeks taken, including any employer top-up.
Total parental leave pay
Estimate$24,787
26 weeks at $953.35, plus 12% super
- Government-funded pay
- $24,787
- Super on PPL
- $2,974.00
- Employer top-up
- $0.00
| 26 weeks at the national minimum wage | $24,787 |
|---|---|
| Superannuation at 12% | $2,974.00 |
| Total received | $24,787 |
- Paid at the national minimum wage regardless of your salary, so the replacement rate falls as income rises — 26 weeks is $24,787 whether you earn $60,000 or $160,000.
- Superannuation is now paid on parental leave at 12%, which closes part of the retirement gap that time out of work creates.
Paid at the national minimum wage whatever you earn, so 26 weeks is about $24,787 for a $60,000 earner and a $160,000 earner alike.
Do you qualify
How this is calculated
A flat rate means a falling replacement rate
Australia pays the national minimum wage of about $953.35 a week regardless of salary, replacing roughly 83% of a $60,000 income but only about 31% of a $160,000 one.
pay = weeks × weekly rateRetirement contributions may be attached
Australia now pays 12% superannuation on parental leave, adding roughly $2,974 across 26 weeks and closing part of the gap unpaid leave creates.
Income tests can be individual rather than household
Australian eligibility is tested on your own income against a $180,007 limit, so a high-earning partner does not automatically disqualify you.
Worked example: 26 weeks taken on a $95,000 salary
| Weeks | 26 |
|---|---|
| Income | $95,000 |
| Weekly rate | $953.35 |
|---|---|
| Total pay | about $24,787 |
Parental leave schemes differ enormously by country. Pick a country above for the entitlement that applies to you.
What this assumes
- Meeting the work and residency tests.
- Paid at the standard statutory rate.
- Leave taken within the permitted period.
- No separate partner entitlement counted.
Where this commonly goes wrong
- Statutory parental pay is usually taxable, so the net figure is below the headline amount.
- Part of an entitlement is often reserved per parent and lost if not used by that parent.
- Employer half-pay arrangements rarely extend the statutory weeks, which run separately.
Questions
How much is statutory parental leave pay?
In Australia, the national minimum wage of about $953.35 a week for up to 26 weeks — roughly $24,787. A flat rate means the replacement rate falls sharply as salary rises.
Are retirement contributions paid on it?
In Australia, yes — 12% superannuation, worth about $2,974 across 26 weeks. That partly offsets the retirement shortfall created by time out of the workforce.
Is the payment taxed?
Usually. Australian Parental Leave Pay is taxable income with tax withheld, and because it often sits alongside part of a year of salary the effective rate can surprise people at filing.
Can both parents claim?
In Australia a portion of the 26 weeks is reserved for each parent and cannot be transferred, so a couple planning for one parent to take the whole entitlement will forfeit the reserved weeks entirely.
Does employer-paid leave replace the government payment?
No. Employer parental leave is separate and can be taken alongside the statutory payment, which is why a top-up of even a few hundred dollars a week changes the affordability of taking the full period.
Related tools
Sources
General estimate based on published ATO rates for the the current period. Not tax advice, and it does not consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. Confirm your position with the ATO or a registered tax agent.
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