What is the statutory maternity/paternity leave and pay in the United Kingdom (UK)?

Maternity Leave

Duration:
Eligible employees can take up to 52 weeks of statutory maternity leave, divided into two parts:

Ordinary Maternity Leave (OML): The first 26 weeks.
Additional Maternity Leave (AML): The last 26 weeks.

Earliest Start:
Maternity leave can begin up to 11 weeks before the expected week of childbirth unless the baby arrives earlier.

Minimum Leave Requirement:
Employees must take at least 2 weeks off after the birth (or 4 weeks if they work in a factory).

Notice Requirements:
Employees must inform Horizons at least 15 weeks before the baby's due date with the following details:

The expected date of childbirth.
The planned start date of maternity leave (this can be adjusted with 28 days' notice).

Paternity Leave

Duration:
Employees are entitled to choose either 1 or 2 weeks of paternity leave. Even if the employee’s partner has multiple births (e.g., twins), the entitlement remains the same.

Leave Requirements:
Paternity leave must be taken as one continuous period. The length of a "week" is defined by the number of days the employee normally works. For instance, if an employee works 2 days a week, one week of paternity leave equals 2 days.

Start and End Dates:
Paternity leave cannot begin before the birth and must end within 56 days of the birth (or the due date if the baby arrives early).

Notice Requirements:

Initial Notice: Employees must notify Horizons at least 15 weeks before the expected due date. Shorter notice may be accepted if agreed upon.
Changing Dates: If an employee needs to change the start date of their leave, they must provide 28 days' notice.

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)

Amount:
Eligible employees can receive SMP for up to 39 weeks, with payments structured as follows:

First 6 Weeks: 90% of average weekly earnings (AWE) before tax.
Remaining 33 Weeks: £184.03 per week or 90% of AWE, whichever is lower.

Deductions:
Tax and National Insurance contributions will be deducted from SMP.

Steps to Claim:
Employees should ensure their doctor or midwife completes the MATB1 certificate. Horizons will handle the completion and provision of the SMP form.

Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP)

Amount:
Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) is £184.03 per week or 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings, whichever is lower.

Payment Method:
SPP is paid in the same way as the employee’s regular wages (e.g., monthly or weekly), with deductions for tax and National Insurance.

Steps to Claim:

Claiming Pay: Employees should complete the SPP form and submit it to Horizons to receive their paternity pay.
Shared Parental Leave (SPL): If eligible for Shared Parental Leave (SPL), employees can also receive Shared Parental Pay (ShPP), which includes up to 2 weeks of SPP if applicable.

Additional Information

Eligibility:
For detailed information on eligibility, employees can refer to the provided resources or use the SMP calculator to help determine their entitlements.

Compliance:
Horizons ensures that both maternity and paternity leave and pay are managed accurately and in full compliance with UK regulations.

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