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Maternity, Paternity, Adoption

Maternity Leave and Pay:

- All pregnant employees are entitled to paid time off for antenatal care and 52 weeks of maternity leave, which includes 26 weeks of ordinary maternity leave and 26 weeks of additional maternity leave. You may offer more additional maternity leave if you wish.

To qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) you must:

  • earn on average at least £125 a week
  • give the correct notice and proof you’re pregnant
  • have worked for your employer continuously for at least 26 weeks continuing into the ‘qualifying week’ - the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth

Full details available here: Maternity pay and leave: Overview - GOV.UK

Paternity Leave and Pay:

- Fathers and partners are entitled to up to two weeks of paternity leave. They may also qualify for additional paternity leave and pay if their partner returns to work before the end of their maternity/paternity leave.

When you take time off because your partner’s having a baby, adopting a child or having a baby through a surrogacy arrangement you might be eligible for:

  • 1 or 2 weeks’ paid Paternity Leave
  • Paternity Pay
  • Shared Parental Leave and Pay

To Qualify for Paternity leave & pay you must: 

  • be employed by your employer up to the date of birth
  • earn an average of at least £125 a week (before tax)
  • give the correct notice
  • have been continuously employed by your employer for at least 26 weeks up to the end of any day in the ‘qualifying week’

The ‘qualifying week’ is the 15th week before the baby is due. 

Full details available here: Paternity pay and leave: Overview - GOV.UK

Adoption Leave and Pay:

To get Statutory Adoption Leave, you must:

  • be an employee
  • give the correct notice (Within 7 days of being matched with a child)
  • give proof of the adoption or surrogacy, if your employer asks you for it

To get Statutory Adoption Pay, you must:

  • have been continuously employed by your employer for at least 26 weeks by the week you were matched with a child
  • earn on average at least £125 a week (before tax)
  • give the correct notice
  • give proof of the adoption or surrogacy

Full details available here: Adoption pay and leave: Overview - GOV.UK

Parental Leave and Pay:

- An employee is entitled to reasonable time off to handle emergencies involving a dependent. A dependent can be a spouse, partner, child, grandchild, parent, or anyone who relies on them for care.
Your personal assistant may also be entitled to parental leave (unpaid leave to care for their child’s welfare), which is limited to four weeks per child, per year.

You and your partner may be able to get Shared Parental Leave (SPL) and Statutory Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) if you’re:

  • having a baby
  • using a surrogate to have a baby
  • adopting a child
  • fostering a child who you’re planning to adopt

You can share up to 50 weeks of leave and up to 37 weeks of pay between you.

You need to share the pay and leave in the first year after your child is born or placed with your family.

You can use SPL to take leave in blocks separated by periods of work, or take it all in one go. You can also choose to be off work together or to stagger the leave and pay.

Full details available here: Shared Parental Leave and Pay: How it works - GOV.UK