Statutory Payments

Statutory payments can get you £95.85 a week if you’re too ill to work. It’s paid by your employer for up to 28 weeks. To qualify, you have to be employed and have done work for your employer, be off work sick for 4 consecutive days (including non-working days), earn at least £120 (before tax) a week, and inform your employer you’re sick within 7 days. You can’t get less than the statutory amount. You may get more if your company has a occupational sick pay scheme.

To qualify for statutory adoption pay you must have:

• worked for your employer continuously for at least 26 weeks by the week you were matched with a child,
• earn on average at least £151.20 a week (before tax),
• give the correct notice,
• give proof of the adoption or surrogacy.

Overseas Adoptions If you’re adopting a child from abroad with your partner you must have:

• worked for your employer continuously for at least 26 weeks by the time you get official notification,
• sign a SC6 form.

Surrogacy To qualify for adoption pay with a surrogacy arrangement you must have:

• worked continuously for your employer for at least 26 weeks by the 15th week before the baby’s due,
• apply for a parental order,
• expect the order to be granted.

Maternity pay starts when you take your leave to have a baby and is paid for up to 39 weeks. You receive these payments in your wages; the same frequency and with tax and NI deducted.

• Weeks 1-6 of Maternity: 90% of your average weekly earnings
• Weeks 7-39 of Maternity: £151.20 or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower)

If you are a father, husband / partner of the mother / adopter, the child’s adopter or intended parent through surrogacy, you may be eligible for 1-2 weeks paid Paternity Leave. You may not get both leave and pay, and there are rules on how to claim / when your leave can start.

To qualify, the mother or adopter must end their maternity or adoption pay early. Each parent must qualify separately for Statutory Shared Parental Pay (ShPP), if you’re eligible you can take:

• the remaining pay as ShPP (39 weeks minus any weeks of maternity pay, maternity allowance or adoption pay).