Statutory Benefit Payments to be Increased from April 2017
The Department for Work and Pensions has announced proposed increases to statutory benefit payments which will take effect from April 2017.
The statutory payments that will be increased include maternity pay, paternity pay, shared parental pay, adoption pay and sick pay. The increases to the weekly rates are as follows:
- statutory sick pay (SSP) will be £89.35 (currently £88.45)
- statutory maternity pay (SMP) and (maternity allowance) will be £140.98 (currently £139.58)
- statutory paternity pay (SPP) will be £140.98 (currently £139.58)
- statutory shared parental pay (ShPP) will be £140.98 (currently £139.58)
- statutory adoption pay (SAP) will be £140.98 (currently £139.58)
The changes take effect from 10 April 2017. Therefore, all employers should ensure that these changes are implemented with immediate effect from this date.