Employees · Leave and career breaks
Maternity leave 2026: how much does the health insurance fund pay you?
Updated on
Since 1 November 2026, withholding tax on pay has been calculated differently (Royal Decree of 27 September 2026). The calculations on this page still follow the previous rules: for pay received from 1 November, withholding tax and net pay may differ. Update in progress.
During the 15-week maternity leave, the health insurance fund (mutualité / ziekenfonds) pays 82% of gross salary, with no ceiling, for the first 30 days, then 75% of salary capped at €188.85 a day (since 1 September 2026), minus 11.11% withholding tax (bedrijfsvoorheffing / précompte professionnel).
For an employee on €3,000 gross, this comes to about €7,139 net for the 15 weeks, against €7,828 of net salary over the same period.
Calculate your maternity benefit
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What you receive during maternity leave
| Gross per month | Per day, first 30 days | Per day, after that | Net for 15 weeks | Difference from salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| €2,000 | €63.08 | €57.69 | €4,758.99 | €2,033.03 |
| €2,500 | €78.85 | €72.12 | €5,949.14 | €1,581.85 |
| €3,000 | €94.62 | €86.54 | €7,138.76 | €688.92 |
| €3,500 | €110.38 | €100.96 | €8,328.10 | −€19.02 |
| €4,000 | €126.15 | €115.38 | €9,517.72 | −€468.36 |
| €5,000 | €157.69 | €141.63 | €11,758.81 | −€1,195.16 |
Your health insurance fund calculates the exact amount from the salary declared by your employer.
Maternity leave rules
- 15 weeks, 17 for a multiple birth.
- Before the birth: up to 6 weeks (8 for a multiple birth), of which the last week is compulsory.
- After the birth: 9 compulsory weeks; 2 more weeks can be taken for a multiple birth.
- Steps: inform your employer and your health insurance fund, which will tell you what documents to provide.
The co-parent is entitled to birth leave of 20 days. After maternity leave, each parent can take parental leave.
Frequently asked questions
How many weeks does maternity leave last?
15 weeks, 17 for a multiple birth: up to 6 weeks before the birth and 9 compulsory weeks after.
How much does the health insurance fund pay during maternity leave?
82% of your gross salary, with no ceiling, for the first 30 days, then 75% of your salary capped at €188.85 a day. The health insurance fund deducts 11.11% withholding tax.
Is maternity benefit taxable?
Yes. The health insurance fund deducts 11.11% withholding tax from each payment. It is an advance on the final tax, calculated the following year on all your income.
What next?
- What if a child arrives?Net pay, tax, nursery and family allowances.
- Birth leave20 days for the co-parent: what the health insurance fund pays.
- Parental leaveThe National Employment Office (NEO) allowance and your net pay.
- Leave and career breaksAll types of leave, compared with your usual net pay.
Sources
Parameters in force on 1 October 2026. Each parameter links to its source, the official one where it exists; a secondary source is flagged as such.
- Repos de maternité pour les salariées ou les chômeuses, National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (NIHDI).
- Votre plafond salarial en cas d’incapacité de travail, de maternité ou de congé de naissance (amounts as of 1 September 2026), NIHDI.
- Calcul du précompte professionnel : annexe III de l’AR/CIR 92 et formule-clé 2026, FPS Finance.