Employee’s Statutory Payments

Statutory pay

• Payments may be required from an employer if an employee is not at work for a variety of reasons.
• There are detailed conditions for an employee to qualify for any of these statutory payments.
• Employees are only eligible for a statutory payment if they have sufficient average weekly earnings of at least the lower earnings limit.

Statutory Sick Pay

• Payments may be required from an employer if an employee is too ill to work.
• SSP is generally payable for a period up to 28 weeks.

Statutory Maternity Pay

• Payments may be required from an employer when an employee takes time off to have a baby.
• SMP is payable for a period up to 39 weeks.

Statutory Paternity Pay

• Payments may be required from an employer when an employee takes time off during their partner’s Statutory Maternity Pay period.
• Payment is for a period of either one or two complete weeks.

Shared Parental Pay

• Payments may be required from an employer when an employee takes time off following the curtailment of the period of SMP by the mother.
• Payment is for up to a maximum of 37 weeks and is dependent on the mother’s unused SMP period.

Statutory Adoption Pay

• Payments may be required from an employer when an employee takes time off when they adopt a child.
• Payment is for a period up to 39 weeks.

2019/20 Statutory pay rates –  average weekly earnings £118 or over
Statutory Sick Pay	£94.25
Statutory Maternity Pay
First six weeks	90% of weekly earnings
Next 33 weeks	£148.68
Statutory Paternity Pay – 2 weeks	£148.68
Statutory Adoption Pay – 39 weeks
First six weeks	90% of weekly earnings
Next 33 weeks	£148.68
Shared Parental Pay	£148.68

With the exception of Statutory Sick Pay, statutory payments may be payable at 90% average weekly earnings throughout the payment period in certain circumstances. This applies where 90% weekly earnings are less than the standard rate of £148.68.