April 2022 statutory maternity, paternity and sick pay rates published

The government has published the proposed statutory rates for maternity pay, paternity pay, shared parental pay, adoption pay, parental bereavement pay and sick pay from April 2022.

The rate of statutory maternity pay is expected to rise to £156.66 from April 2022. The increase normally occurs on the first Sunday in April, which in 2022 is 3 April.

Also on 3 April 2022, the rates of statutory paternity pay and statutory shared parental pay are expected to go up from £151.97 to £156.66 (or 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings if this figure is less than the statutory rate).

The rate of statutory adoption pay goes up from £151.97 to £156.66.

This would mean that, from 3 April 2022, statutory adoption pay is payable at 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings for the first six weeks, with the remainder of the adoption pay period at the rate of £156.66, or 90% of average weekly earnings if this is less than £156.66.

The weekly rate of statutory parental bereavement pay, which is available to employees on parental bereavement leave, is also topped up from £151.97 to £156.66.

The rates normally increase each April in line with the consumer price index (CPI).

Stephen Simpson, principal employment law editor at XpertHR, said: “It is always good news for employers to have these rates before the end of November. It gives HR plenty of time to prepare updates to their family-friendly leave documentation for the April 2022 increases.

The national minimum wage rates that will apply from 1 April 2022 have already been published – these were included in the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget and Spending Review last month.”

The rate of statutory sick pay is also expected to increase from £96.35 to £99.35 on 6 April 2022.

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To be entitled to these statutory payments, the employee’s average earnings must be equal to or more than the lower earnings limit. The lower earnings limit goes up from £120 to £123.

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