Shared parental pay

Summary

• Mothers, fathers and partners of mothers of babies are entitled to statutory shared parental pay if they satisfy the eligibility criteria. (See Entitlement to statutory shared parental pay (birth))
• For parents to be entitled to statutory shared parental pay, mothers must curtail their entitlement to statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance. (See Curtailment of statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance (birth))
• Statutory shared parental pay is payable to adoptive parents in respect of children placed for adoption if they satisfy the eligibility criteria. (See Entitlement to statutory shared parental pay (adoption))
• For adoptive parents to be entitled to statutory shared parental pay, the main adopter must curtail their entitlement to statutory adoption pay. (See Curtailment of statutory adoption pay (adoption))
• Parents must comply with notice and evidence requirements to receive statutory shared parental pay. (See Notice and evidence (birth) and Notice and evidence (adoption))
• Depending on the pattern of shared parental leave taken, parents can receive statutory shared parental pay in instalments and at the same as, or a different time to, each other. (See Period of payment of statutory shared parental pay (birth) and Period of payment of statutory shared parental pay (adoption))
• The maximum number of weeks for which an employee can claim statutory shared parental pay is 37. (See Number of weeks of entitlement (birth) and Number of weeks of entitlement (adoption))
• Each parent can work for up to 20 days for their employer without losing entitlement to statutory shared parental pay. (See Working during shared parental leave (birth) and Working during shared parental leave (adoption))
• Statutory shared parental pay is available in relation to overseas adoptions for adoptive parents of children who enter Great Britain. (See Adoption from overseas and entitlement to statutory shared parental pay)
• Employers are able to recover most of the statutory shared parental payments that they make. (See Recovery of statutory shared parental pay)
• Employers may offset payments of contractual shared parental pay against liability to pay statutory shared parental pay. (See Contractual shared parental pay)