April 2024 rate increases for statutory maternity pay and statutory sick pay

Rate increases – The Government have announced the following rate increases for Statutory Maternity Pay, Paternity Pay, Adoption Pay, Shared Parental Pay, Parental Bereavement Pay and Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).

From 7th April 2024 the following rates will apply:

• Statutory Maternity Pay, Statutory Paternity Pay, Statutory Shared Parental Pay,  Statutory Adoption Pay and Parental Bereavement Leave will all rise from £172.48 to £184.03 per week.
• Statutory Sick Pay will rise from £109.40 to £116.75 per week.

You can see more details about Maternity Pay here.

Maternity Pay

• You can see details about Maternity Pay here
• From 2015, parents will be able to share parental leave
• If you are employed on a Fixed Term (Employee) or Casual Contract (Worker) when pregnant you are likely to be entitled to some form of Maternity Pay (if you pay Class 1 National Insurance contributions) – see the chart above. If your contract ends during your ordinary maternity pay period you will continue to receive SMP or Maternity Allowance for its total duration, even if your contract ends before this.

• Freelancers aren’t usually entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay (or adoption pay, paternity leave, parental leave) as this is only available to Employees and Workers (ie those paid via PAYE and who pay Class 1 National Insurance contributions). Freelancers who work under a contract for service and invoice for payment are not eligible.  You may however be eligible for State Maternity Allowance (see the above chart).

• There are no age restrictions to receiving statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance.

More details about SSP are here.

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is paid to employees or workers (who pay Class 1 National Insurance Contributions) who cannot work because of sickness.

Those who are self-employed (and pay Class 2 National Insurance Contributions) have no entitlement to Statutory Sick Pay, but may be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance.

SSP is not paid for the first 3 days of your sickness (these are called ‘Waiting Days’), but after that you are paid SSP for the days that you normally work.