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Money, tax and benefits

Statutory Paternity Pay

When your wife, partner or civil partner gives birth or adopts a child, you may be able to get Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) money that's paid by your employer to help you take time off work.

Who is eligible?

For you to qualify for Statutory Paternity Pay, all of the following must apply:

  • you must be the biological father or adopter of the child or be the mother's (or adopter's) husband, partner or civil partner or have or expect to have responsibility for the child's upbringing
  • you must have continued to work for the same employer without a break for at least 26 weeks by the 15th week before the baby is due, or employed up to and including the week your wife, partner or civil partner was matched with a child
  • you must continue to work for that employer without a break up to the date the child is born or placed for adoption
  • you must be earning an average of at least £90 a week (before tax)

How much do you get?

If your average weekly earnings are £90 or more (before tax), Statutory Paternity Pay is paid for one or two consecutive weeks at £117.18 or 90 per cent of your average weekly earnings if this is less.

How it's paid

Your employer will pay Statutory Paternity Pay to you in the same way and at the same time as your normal wages.

SPP is treated as normal pay and so they'll also deduct tax and National Insurance as usual.

How and when to claim

To claim Statutory Paternity Pay you must tell your employer when you intend to take leave by the 15th week before your baby is due, or within seven days of your wife, partner or civil partner being told by the adoption agency that they've been matched with a child.

If you change your mind you must give 28 days' notice.

Your employer might ask you for self-certificate form SC3 becoming a parent that confirms you're entitled to the pay.

What else you need to know

You can choose when to start getting your Statutory Paternity Pay. Leave can start on any day of the week:

  • on or following the child's birth, but must be completed within eight weeks of the actual date of birth (or eight weeks after the expected date of birth if the baby is born early)
  • from the date of the child's placement, but must be completed within eight weeks of the date of placement

You can take either one week or two consecutive weeks, but not odd days.

If you have more than one job, you may be able to get Statutory Paternity Pay from each employer.

Your employer can't pay you Statutory Paternity Pay for any week you're at work.

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