UK Statutory Paternity Pay Calculator 2026/27

Statutory Paternity Pay Guide (2026/27)

How Statutory Paternity Pay Works?

Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) is the minimum pay you can receive during paternity leave if you qualify, when your partner has a baby, you adopt, or you have a child through surrogacy. For 2026/27 the rate is the lower of £194.32 per week or 90% of your average weekly earnings. You can take either one or two weeks of paid paternity leave (not odd days — the weeks must be taken as whole weeks under the traditional rules, though recent reforms have added flexibility). The leave must usually be taken within a set window after the birth or placement. SPP is paid by your employer through PAYE, so it's taxed and subject to National Insurance like normal wages. Like other statutory payments, it's a legal minimum — some employers offer enhanced paternity pay (for example, full pay for the two weeks) as a contractual benefit, which would be set out in your contract or family-leave policy. Two weeks at the statutory rate is modest, so many families plan around it. This calculator estimates the statutory amount for 2026/27; rates rise each April, so check GOV.UK for the current figure if you need an official number.

What's the key thing to understand about The April 2026 Changes?

April 2026 brought reforms to family-related leave, including paternity, as part of wider employment law changes. A key change is the move toward 'day-one' rights: paternity leave became a day-one employment right, removing the previous requirement to have been employed for a continuous period before qualifying for the leave itself (though pay can still have its own earnings and notice conditions). The statutory weekly rate rose to £194.32, in line with the increases to maternity, adoption, shared parental, and the new neonatal care pay. There's also greater flexibility in how and when paternity leave can be taken compared with the older, more rigid rules. These changes reflect a broader policy direction of strengthening family leave rights and making them more accessible from the start of employment. Because the detail of who qualifies for the leave versus the pay can differ, and the rules have been changing, it's worth checking your specific eligibility on GOV.UK or with your employer's HR. This calculator reflects the confirmed 2026/27 statutory rate; the figures and rules are reviewed annually each April.

What do I need to know about Qualifying and Taking Leave?

To get Statutory Paternity Pay you generally need to be an employee with the relevant relationship to the child (the biological father, the mother's or primary adopter's partner, or the intended parent in surrogacy), earn at least the lower earnings threshold (£129 a week from April 2026), and give the correct notice. You typically need to tell your employer in advance, usually by the 15th week before the baby is due, of your intention to take paternity leave and when. The leave is normally taken in one block of one or two whole weeks, within a window after the birth or placement (recent reforms have extended flexibility around timing). You'll usually need to confirm your eligibility, often via a self-declaration form. If you don't qualify for SPP — for instance if you're self-employed or earn below the threshold — there's no direct equivalent allowance as there is for maternity, so you'd need to rely on other arrangements such as annual leave or unpaid time. Shared Parental Leave is a separate, more flexible scheme that lets eligible parents share a larger pool of leave and pay between them, which can suit families who want the father or partner to take more time off than the standard two weeks. Check the detailed rules for your situation.

What's the key thing to understand about Planning Around Paternity Pay?

Because statutory paternity pay covers only up to two weeks at a modest rate, planning matters for most families. Many partners supplement the two statutory weeks with annual leave to extend their time at home around the birth, or use Shared Parental Leave to take a longer period. Check whether your employer offers enhanced paternity pay, which can make a significant difference and is increasingly common. Consider the household budget over the period: combine your reduced paternity-leave income with your partner's maternity pay (which also drops after the first six weeks) to see the full picture, as this is often the tightest financial period for new families. Other support to factor in: Child Benefit (claimable after the birth), and potentially Universal Credit depending on household income. Shared Parental Leave and Pay can be planned so the leave and statutory pay are distributed between both parents in the way that best suits your family and finances. Keeping in Touch arrangements and flexible working requests can also help the transition. This calculator gives the gross statutory figure for planning; for your full position including tax, enhanced pay, and benefits, check with your employer's HR and GOV.UK, or get advice from Citizens Advice. The two weeks pass quickly, so deciding in advance how to combine statutory pay, annual leave, and any shared leave helps you make the most of time with your new baby.

Worked Example: Calculating Statutory Paternity Pay

Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) is typically paid at the lower of a fixed weekly rate (set and reviewed each tax year — check the current published figure) or 90% of the employee's average weekly earnings, for up to two weeks. For someone with average weekly earnings of £420, 90% of that is £378, which is higher than the typical flat statutory rate, so this employee would receive the flat statutory rate for both weeks of leave (since the calculation uses whichever figure is lower). For someone with lower average weekly earnings of, say, £180, 90% of that is £162 — below the flat statutory rate — so this employee would receive £162 a week instead, because the 90%-of-earnings figure is the lower of the two in their case. This shows why the 90% test matters most for lower earners: it's what determines SPP for anyone whose average earnings put 90% below the statutory flat rate, while higher earners typically receive the flat rate itself for the full two weeks. Employers can choose to top up SPP to full pay as a workplace benefit, but there's no legal requirement to do so beyond the statutory minimum.

Paternity Pay vs Shared Parental Pay

Statutory Paternity Pay and Statutory Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) serve different purposes and have different structures, and the two can sometimes be combined.

Can be taken in a single block after birth, or split into separate blocks by agreement with the employer Eligibility Overlap|Available even if the mother takes her full Statutory Maternity Pay|Requires the mother to end her maternity leave/pay early to transfer the remaining entitlement Because eligibility rules, notice periods, and exact statutory rates are reviewed periodically (sometimes with announced reforms), always check the current rules on GOV.UK before finalizing leave planning, especially if planning to combine paternity leave with a Shared Parental Leave arrangement.

Giving Notice to Your Employer

Taking Statutory Paternity Pay typically requires giving the employer notice within a required timeframe before the expected week of childbirth (commonly by the 15th week before the expected week — check current rules, as notice requirements can be reviewed), stating the expected week of birth, how much leave is being taken, and when it's intended to start. Employers can request this notice in a specific written form (often using a standard template), and failing to give notice correctly or on time can delay or jeopardize the statutory payment, even if the employee otherwise qualifies. It's also worth confirming with the employer in advance whether paternity leave will be paid at just the statutory rate or topped up to full pay as a company benefit — this isn't guaranteed and varies significantly between employers, with some larger companies offering substantially enhanced paternity pay well above the statutory minimum as part of their benefits package, which can materially change financial planning around the leave period.