New statutory rates for 2026
April marks the month each year where changes to statutory rates come into force. Most rate changes take effect from 6th April (to align with the start of the new tax year).
The statutory rates for family leave, sick pay, redundancy and the cap on unfair dismissal compensatory awards are, from 6th April 2026, as follows:
| Statutory maternity pay | £194.32 per week |
| Statutory paternity pay | £194.32 per week |
| Statutory shared parental pay | £194.32 per week |
| Statutory adoption pay | £194.32 per week |
| Statutory parental bereavement pay | £194.32 per week |
| Statutory neonatal care leave pay | £194.32 per week |
| Statutory sick pay | £123.25 per week |
| Statutory guarantee pay | £41 per day |
| Statutory redundancy pay | £751 per week |
| Maximum compensatory award for unfair dismissal* | £123,543 |
*Under Employment Rights Act 2025 changes, due to take effect from January 2027, the cap on the compensatory award for unfair dismissal will be removed in its entirety. The figure in this table applies to all dismissals from 6th April 2026 until this change comes into effect.
The average gross weekly earnings required to qualify for the various forms of family leave pay will also increase from £125.00 or more per week, to £129.00 or more per week from 6th April 2026.
The amounts in the table above represent the minimum requirements. They may be replaced by higher payments if the employer chooses to offer more voluntarily or is required to do so under the employee’s contract.