Paternity pay

Summary

• An eligible employee who is the biological father of a child or the mother's spouse, civil partner or partner is entitled to one or two weeks' statutory paternity pay. (See Statutory paternity pay (birth))
• An eligible employee who is the spouse, civil partner or partner of an individual who has adopted a child, or one of a couple who have jointly adopted a child, is entitled to one or two weeks' statutory paternity pay. (See Statutory paternity pay (adoption))
• Employees must comply with specific notice and evidence requirements to qualify for statutory paternity pay. (See Notice and evidence required from the employee for statutory paternity pay (birth) and Notice and evidence required from the employee for statutory paternity pay (adoption))
• There is a specific period within which the statutory paternity pay period must occur. (See Period of payment of statutory paternity pay (birth) and Period of payment of statutory paternity pay (adoption))
• Employers are able to recover most of the statutory paternity pay that they pay. (See Recovery of statutory paternity pay (birth) and Recovery of statutory paternity pay (adoption))
• An employer may offset payments of contractual paternity pay against its liability to pay statutory paternity pay. (See Contractual paternity pay)