Statutory Rate Rises from April 2019
Employers with staff on maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave or claiming statutory sick pay should note that the DWP has announced the statutory rates will be rising in 2019. The rates normally increase each April in line with the consumer price index (CPI).
Currently, statutory maternity pay is paid for 39 weeks. The first six weeks is 90% of average weekly earnings (before tax) with the remaining 33 weeks at £145.18 (or 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings if this figure is less than the statutory rate). This rate is rising to £148.68 from the 7 April 2019, which is the first Sunday in April.
Also on 7 April 2019, the rates of statutory paternity pay, statutory shared parental pay and statutory adoption pay will increase from £145.18 to £148.68 (or 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings if this figure is less than the statutory rate)
To be entitled to these statutory payments, the employee’s average earnings must be equal to or more than the lower earnings limit, which in April 2019 is increasing from £116 to £118.
Statutory Sick Pay is also increasing from £92.05 to £94.25.
Employers will be glad of this announcement in a period of uncertainty which will allow them to budget more accurately for staff requirements in 2019.
Posted on 12/05/2018 by Ortolan
