Statutory Adoption Pay 2025/26: rates, eligibility, leave and planning

Adoption Pay Calculator (2025/26 SAP rates)

This calculator estimates Statutory Adoption Pay using the 2025/26 structure: the first 6 weeks are paid at 90% of average weekly earnings with no statutory cap, and the next period is paid at £187.18 per week for up to 33 weeks. It is designed as a planning tool so you can model household cash flow, decide whether enhanced employer pay changes your timeline, and compare taking the full paid period with taking fewer paid weeks.

Enter your average weekly earnings and the number of paid weeks you expect to claim, up to 39. If your average weekly earnings are not over £123, the calculator flags that you may not meet the earnings threshold stated in this guide. Real payroll outcomes can differ slightly because of tax code, NI class, pension setup, and whether your employer offers enhanced adoption pay that tops up statutory amounts.

This is a guide calculator, not payroll advice. Check your employer policy and HMRC guidance if your case includes interrupted placements, linked placements, overseas adoption, or a change to Shared Parental Leave.

What Statutory Adoption Pay looks like in 2025/26

Statutory Adoption Pay is paid in two parts, and understanding the split is the key to making a realistic plan. Part one is generous relative to statutory flat-rate leave pay because it tracks your income directly: for the first 6 weeks, SAP is 90% of your average weekly earnings and there is no statutory cap for that initial period. Part two then moves to a fixed amount: £187.18 per week for up to 33 weeks. Together, that gives up to 39 paid weeks. If you take the full 52 weeks of Adoption Leave, the last 13 weeks are normally unpaid unless your employer contract gives extra support.

The impact on a household budget depends heavily on your earnings profile. People with lower or moderate average weekly earnings often find the transition from 90% pay to the flat weekly rate manageable with early planning, while higher earners can see a sharp drop after week 6. That drop does not mean you should avoid taking leave; it means you should prepare the transition month before it arrives. Building a month-by-month cash forecast now can prevent pressure later, especially if childcare setup, one-off legal costs, home adjustments, and travel all coincide during placement.

Even though this is called a statutory payment, payroll treatment still matters. SAP is usually taxed through PAYE in the same way as earnings. That means your net amount can differ from your headline SAP amount, and the difference may be bigger than expected if your previous monthly salary was much higher. For planning, use both gross and net estimates. Gross tells you entitlement; net tells you what actually lands in your account each payday.

Eligibility: employed, earning over £123/week, matched with a child, 26+ weeks

In plain terms, this guide uses four core checks: you are employed, your average weekly earnings are over £123, you have been matched with a child, and you have at least 26 weeks of relevant continuous employment by the qualifying point. If any one of these is missing, SAP may not be available, though other rights or support may still apply. The most common misunderstanding is to assume a match alone automatically creates SAP entitlement. Matching is essential, but employment status and earnings threshold are equally important.

Average weekly earnings are assessed over a defined period before the qualifying stage. If your pay fluctuates due to overtime, commission, unpaid leave, or reduced hours, your average can be higher or lower than your current weekly salary. It is worth checking payslips early, not after payroll has run for leave. A practical approach is to calculate your own average from the same reference period your payroll team will use, then compare it with employer calculations. Fixing discrepancies before leave starts is much easier than correcting multiple pays after leave has begun.

The employment length condition of 26+ weeks is another planning milestone. People changing jobs near placement often underestimate how strict continuity can be. If you are close to a role change, request written clarification from HR about qualifying dates before you sign new terms. Also ask which evidence documents are required, such as a matching certificate and notice forms, and by when they must be submitted. Timely paperwork protects your entitlement and avoids a situation where eligibility is delayed not by law, but by missing internal process deadlines.

Eligibility is also where many families decide whether one partner should be the primary adopter for leave and pay purposes. Because the first six weeks are linked to the primary adopter’s average earnings, the household total can change significantly depending on who claims SAP first. This is not only a money question; it is also a caregiving and wellbeing question. Build your decision around care needs, health, support network, commute, and flexibility, then validate that the financial side remains workable.

Adoption Leave entitlement: up to 52 weeks

Adoption Leave can be up to 52 weeks in total, split into 26 weeks of Ordinary Adoption Leave and 26 weeks of Additional Adoption Leave. This is leave entitlement, not guaranteed full pay entitlement. In many cases, paid SAP runs for up to 39 weeks, and the remaining leave period is unpaid unless your employment contract offers enhanced terms. Still, the full leave entitlement matters because it gives legal job protection and the option to shape your return to work in a way that supports placement stability.

During leave, employment rights generally continue, including accrual of statutory holiday and protection against unfair treatment linked to taking family leave. For practical planning, discuss return-to-work options early, including phased return, annual leave bridging, compressed hours, and any flexible working request timing. A carefully staged return can reduce pressure in the first school, nursery, or childcare transition period. Leave is not only about time away from work; it is about creating a stable routine for a child and a sustainable routine for the family.

If you do not intend to take all 52 weeks, set your expected return date clearly and give notice as required by your employer process. Keep every agreement in writing, including any variation to return date, holiday booking at leave end, or agreed pattern changes for your first months back. Clear records prevent misunderstanding and help payroll, managers, and HR keep your case consistent across systems.

Enhanced adoption pay: where employer policy can materially improve outcomes

Many employers pay above the statutory minimum. Enhanced adoption pay schemes vary widely: some provide full pay for a defined number of weeks, some provide half pay plus statutory, and some top up statutory pay to a percentage level for a longer period. In high-cost areas, enhanced policy often determines whether families can take the leave pattern they actually want rather than the pattern cash flow allows. Ask HR for the exact policy wording, not a summary, and check whether there are service conditions, repayment clauses, or return-to-work requirements attached.

Repayment clauses are the detail most frequently missed. Some enhanced schemes require you to return to work for a minimum period after leave or repay part of the enhancement. That does not make the policy bad, but it changes risk. If your circumstances are uncertain, model a scenario where repayment might be triggered and decide whether the potential liability is acceptable. Also check whether pension contributions, bonus eligibility, and salary review treatment differ between statutory and enhanced elements, because these can affect your longer-term financial position beyond the leave year.

When comparing employers or considering a move, enhanced adoption pay should be assessed alongside flexibility policy and manager culture. A strong formal policy with weak practical support can still create strain. In contrast, a modest policy with clear flexibility and predictable scheduling can be easier to live with. Ask for concrete examples of how teams handle phased returns and protected time for adoption appointments.

Secondary adopter rights: paternity pay and shared options

The secondary adopter may qualify for paternity leave and Statutory Paternity Pay, subject to meeting the relevant eligibility conditions. This can provide important early support during introductions, placement transition, and the first weeks at home, especially where appointments and administrative tasks run in parallel with caregiving demands. Even short paid partner leave can reduce pressure by allowing both adults to share routines, settle sleeping patterns, and manage agency communication without one person carrying every task alone.

Families should also look at Shared Parental Leave as a practical option, not only as a legal concept. If the primary adopter curtails adoption leave and pay, eligible parents may convert remaining entitlement into Shared Parental Leave and Shared Parental Pay, allowing leave blocks to be split or alternated. This can be useful where one partner’s role is more flexible, one partner has better enhanced terms, or the family wants a staged return to work over a longer period. Good planning requires a combined calendar that includes notice deadlines, pay switches, nursery start dates, and school transition points.

Although Shared Parental Leave can look paperwork-heavy at first, most of the complexity comes from timing decisions rather than forms. Decide first what care pattern you want over the first year, then map legal notices to that pattern. If you reverse the order and chase forms before designing the family schedule, you may end up with a technically correct plan that does not meet your real needs. Keep payroll and HR informed early where you anticipate switching between leave types so payment runs are aligned and delays are less likely.

Couples often discover that the financially optimal plan and the emotionally sustainable plan are not identical. It is reasonable to prioritize stability over a small cash advantage if the difference is manageable. A placement journey is intensive; preserving parental capacity can be more valuable than maximizing every statutory pound. Use this guide’s calculator as a baseline, then layer partner leave and any enhanced terms on top to produce your own realistic household plan.

Tax, NI, pension and budgeting around SAP

SAP is usually paid through payroll and can be subject to tax and National Insurance where due, so your net amount may be lower than your gross entitlement. If you are moving from a regular monthly salary to SAP, compare your projected net pay by month, not just by week. That reveals where the transition from week 6 to week 7 will hit most sharply. It also helps with direct debit management, especially for mortgages, rent, loans, and subscriptions that do not automatically adjust when income changes.

Pension treatment can differ depending on scheme rules and employer policy, particularly where enhanced pay applies. Check how employee and employer contributions are calculated during statutory-only weeks versus enhanced weeks. A small monthly difference can become meaningful over a full leave year. Also review salary sacrifice arrangements, childcare vouchers where legacy schemes exist, and any benefit-in-kind deductions. None of these should surprise you halfway through leave if you request a payroll projection in advance.

A practical budgeting method is to split leave into three phases: high-income phase (first 6 weeks), statutory-flat phase (weeks 7 to 39), and unpaid/low-income phase (remaining leave if taken). Assign fixed costs to the lowest-income phase first, then test whether savings or partner income can cover the gap comfortably. If not, reduce costs before leave starts. Families who complete this exercise early usually report less stress and fewer emergency borrowing decisions.

Worked examples using the 2025/26 rates

These examples are gross illustrations using only statutory figures from this guide. Real net figures depend on payroll deductions, pension treatment, and individual tax position.

Example 1: average weekly earnings £350, full 39 weeks claimed

First 6 weeks are paid at 90% of earnings: 0.9 × £350 = £315 per week. Over six weeks, that is £1,890. The remaining 33 weeks are paid at £187.18 per week, giving £6,176.94. Total estimated SAP over 39 weeks is £8,066.94 gross. In this case, the drop from week 6 to week 7 is £127.82 per week. If household expenses are tightly matched to previous salary levels, this transition should be planned before leave starts. A temporary spending freeze during the first six weeks can help build buffer for later months.

Example 2: average weekly earnings £650, full 39 weeks claimed

First six weeks are 90% of £650, which is £585 weekly. Six-week total is £3,510. Remaining 33 weeks at £187.18 give £6,176.94. Total estimated SAP is £9,686.94 gross. The week-7 drop here is substantial: from £585 to £187.18, a reduction of £397.82 per week. This is where enhanced employer pay can materially change outcomes. Without enhancement, many higher-earning households use savings, partner leave coordination, or temporary cost reductions to keep the full leave plan feasible.

Example 3: average weekly earnings £200, 20 paid weeks claimed

For 20 weeks, the first six weeks are 90% of £200 = £180 weekly, totaling £1,080. The next 14 weeks are at £187.18, totaling £2,620.52. Total estimated SAP is £3,700.52 gross. In this specific case, statutory flat-rate weeks are slightly higher than the first period weekly amount because 90% of earnings is below £187.18. The structure still applies in the same way; only relative amounts differ. If a family plans a shorter leave period, they should still consider a contingency for delayed childcare start dates or transition disruptions.

These examples show why it is useful to plan with your own numbers rather than relying on a generic weekly figure. The statutory framework is fixed, but lived outcomes are not. Employer enhancement, pension setup, salary sacrifice, partner leave pattern, and timing of return to work can all alter the practical result. A good planning model includes at least one conservative scenario where costs increase and return to work is later than expected.

Planning checklist before leave starts

Start with dates. Confirm expected placement timeline, intended leave start date, and the week you expect SAP to begin. Put all notice deadlines in one shared calendar used by both parents. Next, gather documents: matching evidence, employer forms, payroll contacts, and any adoption agency letters. Then run financial planning in layers. Layer one is statutory only, using the calculator on this page. Layer two adds employer enhancement if available. Layer three adds partner leave and a downside scenario with delayed return to work.

After that, plan work handover and re-entry. Leave quality often depends on handover quality. Define critical tasks, backup owners, out-of-office boundaries, and escalation rules before leave starts. For return planning, decide whether you want to use accrued annual leave at the end of leave to create a gradual re-entry. If flexible working may be needed, prepare a proposal early with clear business impact and practical scheduling suggestions. Early, specific requests are generally easier for employers to accommodate.

Finally, protect family bandwidth. Placement periods can include appointments, school or nursery coordination, legal follow-up, and emotional adjustment. Build margin into your budget and calendar. A plan that is slightly less optimized financially but more robust operationally is often the better plan.

Common mistakes to avoid

A frequent mistake is confusing leave entitlement with paid entitlement. You may have up to 52 weeks of leave, but statutory pay is up to 39 weeks. Another is assuming payroll will automatically apply every detail correctly without notice forms or evidence; payroll teams usually need timely documentation. A third is budgeting only for average monthly costs while forgetting one-off adoption-related expenses, transport changes, or childcare deposits. A fourth is delaying partner leave decisions until late; by then, notice windows can limit flexibility.

It is also common to rely on headline gross figures without checking net pay, pension effects, and deductions. That can create a cash shock even when entitlement is correctly paid. Avoid this by requesting a pre-leave payroll projection and updating your household budget before leave begins. Small administrative steps taken early can prevent large financial and practical strain later.

Frequently asked questions