Statutory Paternity Pay Calculator 2026/27
Calculate your paternity pay using the new 2026 rules. SPP is now a day-one right, you have a full year to take your leave, and you can split your 2 weeks into separate blocks.
Your Earnings
Under the new April 2026 rules, you can take these weeks consecutively or separately within 52 weeks of the birth.
Total SPP Entitlement
£388.64
Before tax and National Insurance deductions.
* Paid at the standard statutory rate.
SPP rate and how it's paid in 2026/27
Statutory Paternity Pay is set at the lower of the flat weekly rate or 90% of your average weekly earnings (AWE). Your AWE is calculated from the 8 weeks of pay before the qualifying week (15th week before your baby's due date).
£184.03
SPP flat rate
per week in 2026/27
90%
Of AWE if lower
average weekly earnings
1–2
Weeks of SPP
consecutive or split
Is SPP taxed? Yes. SPP is treated as earnings and is subject to income tax and National Insurance in the normal way. Your employer pays it through payroll like regular salary.
New paternity leave rules from April 2026
The Employment Rights Act 2025 made the most significant changes to paternity leave in decades. Here's what changed from April 2026:
Before April 2026
❌ Required 26 weeks' continuous service
From April 2026
✅ Day-one right — no service requirement
Before April 2026
❌ Leave had to be taken within 56 days of birth
From April 2026
✅ Full 52-week window after birth
Before April 2026
❌ Must be taken as one consecutive block
From April 2026
✅ Can be split into two separate 1-week blocks
Before April 2026
❌ Leave dates had to be fixed before birth
From April 2026
✅ 28 days' notice before each block
Qualifying conditions for SPP
While the 26-week service requirement is gone, there are still conditions you must meet to receive SPP:
✓ Relationship to child
Must be the father, or the mother/co-parent's spouse, civil partner, or partner (including same-sex partnerships)
✓ Parental responsibility
You must have, or expect to have, responsibility for the child's upbringing
✓ Earnings threshold
Average weekly earnings must be at least £123/week (the Lower Earnings Limit for 2026/27)
✓ Notice requirement
Must give 28 days' notice before the start of each block of leave taken
Shared Parental Leave — if 2 weeks isn't enough
Statutory Paternity Leave is limited to 2 weeks. If you want to spend more time with your new child, Shared Parental Leave (SPL) lets you and your partner share up to 50 weeks of leave and 37 weeks of pay.
SPL is taken from the mother's remaining maternity leave entitlement — she curtails her maternity leave early, and you each take a portion of the remaining weeks. You can both be on leave simultaneously, take it in multiple blocks, or stagger your leave to maximise childcare coverage.
Total SPL available
50 weeks
shared between both parents
Paid SPL weeks
37 weeks
at £184.03/week (or 90% AWE)
Can both be on leave?
Yes
both parents can take SPL simultaneously