Statutory parental pay rates are updated every year in line with inflation. And 2026/27 is no different.
From 6 April 2026, the standard weekly rate for most parental payments rises to £194.32, up from £187.18 in 2025/26. That’s a 3.8% increase, reflecting the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rate recorded in September 2025.
Whether you’re an employee planning time off or a payroll professional keeping your figures up to date, here’s everything you need to know.
Parental pay rates 2026/27
The following rates apply from 6 April 2026:
| Payment | 2022/27 weekly rate |
|---|---|
| Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP): first 6 weeks | 90% of the employee's average weekly earnings |
| Statutory Maternity Pay: remaining 33 weeks | £194.32 or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower |
| Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) | £194.32 or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower |
| Statutory Adoption Pay (SAP): first 6 weeks | 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings |
| Statutory Adoption Pay: remaining 33 weeks | £194.32 or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower |
| Statutory Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) | £194.32 or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower |
| Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay (SPBP) | £194.32 or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower |
| Statutory Neonatal Care Pay (SNCP) | £194.32 or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower |
These figures are an increase from the standard rate of £187.18 in 2025/26.
The earnings threshold
To qualify for most statutory parental payments, employees need to earn at least the Lower Earnings Limit (LEL). From 6 April 2026, that threshold increases from £125.00 to £129.00 per week. It’s worth double-checking this for any employees who are close to the threshold, as it can affect their eligibility.
Recovering statutory payments from HMRC
The good news is that you can recover most of what you pay out in statutory parental pay directly from HMRC. The rules work like this:
- Standard recovery: You can reclaim 92% of statutory parental payments if your total Class 1 National Insurance contributions (NI) for the previous tax year exceeded £45,000.
- Small Employers’ Relief: If your total Class 1 NI was £45,000 or less, you qualify for Small Employers’ Relief—meaning you can reclaim 100% of the payment, plus a compensation amount. From 6 April 2026, that compensation rate increases from 8.5% to 9%, bringing the total recoverable amount to 109%.
So, if you’re a smaller organisation, you’ll actually get back slightly more than you paid out—a small but useful offset against your payroll costs, especially when managed through payroll software.
What's new in parental pay & leave for 2026/27
Beyond the rate increase itself, there are a couple of notable changes coming in this tax year that affect parental leave more broadly.
Paternity leave and unpaid parental leave become day one rights
From 6 April 2026, employees no longer need to meet a minimum service requirement to take paternity leave or unpaid parental leave. Previously, paternity leave required 26 weeks’ continuous service, and unpaid parental leave required a year’s service. Both are now available from day one of employment.
It’s worth noting that while the leave becomes a day one right, Statutory Paternity Pay still requires 26 weeks’ continuous service. So, an employee can take the leave sooner—but may not receive pay if they haven’t yet met that qualifying period.
A new right for bereaved partners
From 6 April 2026, the Bereaved Partners Paternity Leave Regulations 2026 introduce a new right for partners to take up to 52 weeks of unpaid leave if a mother or primary adopter dies. This is a standalone entitlement, separate from the existing Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay.
Parental leave guidance
If you need a refresher on the leave entitlements that sit alongside these rates, the following guides cover everything you need:
Keep your parental pay rates up to date with Cintra
Staying on top of annual rate changes—especially when there are structural changes like the ones above—takes time. With Cintra, your rates and thresholds are always aligned to the latest legislation, and your calculations are handled automatically, so you don’t have to worry about keeping things compliant.
You can set up as many occupational parental schemes as your organisation needs. Cintra’s HR and payroll software automatically calculates maternity and parental leave payments and generates a detailed payment schedule for both your records and your employees’.
If you’d like to see how this works in practice, we’d be happy to walk you through it. Just get in touch!
Payroll Legislation Guide
The facts, figures, thresholds and allowances for 2026/27 spanning tax, National Insurance, pensions, statutory payments and more.
