The Government has announced the new statutory pay rates to take effect from 4 April 2021.

In summary:

  • The rate of statutory maternity pay, statutory paternity pay and statutory shared parental pay, currently at £151.20 per week or 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings (whichever is lower), will rise to £151.97 per week.
  • Statutory adoption pay will now be paid out at 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings for the first six weeks of leave, bringing it in line with statutory maternity pay. The remaining adoption pay period will be paid at £151.97 or 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings, whichever is lower.
  • Pay for parental bereavement leave, which is available to parents of a child who died on or after 6th April 2020, will see its first annual rise since its introduction, also to £151.97 a week.
  • Finally, statutory sick pay will increase from £95.85 to £96.35.