9. Rights to time off work for working parents and carers 



This chapter sets out the rights available to working parents and carers. 



The statutory payments to parents and carers when they take leave linked to childbirth, maternity and adoption, such as statutory maternity, shared parental and paternity pay, normally increase every year on the first Sunday in April, in line with the consumer price index (CPI).


From April 2017, the weekly rate of these payments increased to £140.98 or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is the lower. To qualify for these statutory payments, the employee’s average earnings must equal or exceed the Lower Earnings Limit (LEL) which, from April 2017, is £113 a week.