Statutory Maternity Pay to Stay the Same
The Department for Work and Pensions has published its proposed benefit and pension rates for the tax year beginning on 6 April 2016.
There will be no increase in Statutory Maternity, Paternity, Adoption and Shared Parental Pay, Maternity Allowance, and Statutory Sick Pay. The rates usually increase every April, in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). However, the CPI fell by 0.1% in the year to September 2015.
Therefore, the rates will remain as follows until April 2017:
- standard rate of £139.58 per week for Statutory Maternity Pay
- £139.58 per week for Statutory Paternity Pay, Statutory Adoption Pay and Statutory Shared Parental Pay
- £139.58 per week for Maternity Allowance
- £88.45 per week for Statutory Sick Pay
The qualifying earnings thresholds will also remain the same as the current tax year.
You can view a list of the proposed benefit and pension rates for 2016 to 2017 here.