Work out Statutory Adoption Pay: 6 weeks at 90% of earnings then 33 weeks at the statutory rate, over 52 weeks of leave.
Source: GOV.UK — Adoption pay and leave
By Konstantin Iakovlev · Founder, Calks.uk
Last updated: · Verified against HMRC and GOV.UK 2026/27 rates
Rates verified: 6 July 2026
Quick Answer
Statutory Adoption Pay runs for 39 weeks: the first 6 weeks at 90% of your average earnings, then 33 weeks at £194.32/week (or 90% of earnings if lower) — the same rates as maternity pay. Adoption leave itself can last 52 weeks; the final 13 are unpaid.
Average pay in the 8 weeks before the matching week
Total Statutory Adoption Pay (39 weeks)
£9,652.56
before tax and National Insurance
| Period | Weekly | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1–6 (90% of earnings) | £540.00 | £3,240.00 |
| Weeks 7–39 (statutory rate or 90%) | £194.32 | £6,412.56 |
| Weeks 40–52 (optional leave) | Unpaid | £0 |
To qualify: 26 weeks with your employer by the matching week (UK adoptions) and average earnings at or above the Lower Earnings Limit. Only one parent takes adoption leave — the other may qualify for paternity pay or shared parental pay. Fostering-to-adopt and overseas adoptions have their own timing rules.
Disclaimer
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How It Works
Statutory Adoption Pay (SAP) mirrors maternity pay. When a child is matched with you (UK adoption) or arrives (overseas adoptions and fostering-to-adopt), the primary adopter can take up to 52 weeks of adoption leave, 39 of them paid: 6 weeks at 90% of average weekly earnings with no cap, then 33 weeks at the statutory rate — £194.32 in 2026/27 — or 90% of earnings, whichever is lower.
To qualify you need 26 weeks of continuous service with your employer by the "matching week" (the week you are officially matched with the child) and average earnings at or above the Lower Earnings Limit. Average earnings are measured over the 8 weeks before the matching week.
Only one partner takes adoption leave — the couple chooses who. The other partner may qualify for statutory paternity pay (2 weeks) and the pair can convert unused adoption leave into Shared Parental Leave to split the year between them.
Leave can begin up to 14 days before the placement date (UK adoptions). Surrogacy arrangements use the same adoption-leave framework for intended parents. Many employers pay enhanced ("occupational") adoption pay on top — check your contract; the figures here are the statutory floor.
SAP is paid through payroll like normal wages, so tax and NI come off; if your employer becomes insolvent, HMRC pays it directly. Self-employed adopters do not qualify for SAP (unlike Maternity Allowance for birth mothers) — a known gap in the system.
Example: £2,600/month salary
- Average weekly earnings: £2,600 × 12 ÷ 52 = £600
- Weeks 1–6: 90% × £600 = £540/week → £3,240
- Weeks 7–39: min(£194.32, £540) = £194.32/week → £6,412.56
- Total SAP over 39 weeks: £9,652.56 before tax
- Weeks 40–52 of leave are unpaid unless your employer enhances the package
Source: GOV.UK — Adoption pay and leave
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who qualifies for Statutory Adoption Pay?
- You must be an employee (or agency worker with employee-level earnings), have 26 weeks of continuous service with your employer by the end of the "matching week" — the week the adoption agency officially matches you with a child — and earn at least the Lower Earnings Limit on average in the 8 weeks before matching. Only one partner in a couple can claim SAP for a placement; the other may claim statutory paternity pay instead. Overseas adoptions and fostering-to-adopt placements qualify with adjusted timing rules, and intended parents in surrogacy arrangements use the same framework. Self-employed adopters do not qualify — there is no adoption equivalent of Maternity Allowance. Source: GOV.UK.
- How much is adoption pay and for how long?
- SAP mirrors Statutory Maternity Pay exactly: the first 6 weeks are paid at 90% of your average weekly earnings with no upper cap, then 33 further weeks at the statutory rate (£194.32/week in 2026/27) or 90% of your earnings if that is lower. That is 39 paid weeks in total. Adoption leave itself can run to 52 weeks — the final 13 weeks are unpaid at the statutory level, though many employers enhance the package contractually. Pay starts when your leave starts, which can be up to 14 days before the placement date for UK adoptions. Tax and NI are deducted as normal through payroll. Source: GOV.UK.
- Can we share the leave between partners?
- Yes. The primary adopter can curtail (cut short) their adoption leave and pay, converting the balance into Shared Parental Leave and Pay — up to 50 weeks of leave and 37 weeks of pay to split between both partners, taken together or in turns, in up to three blocks each. The other partner also has an independent right to 2 weeks of statutory paternity pay at the placement. A practical pattern: the primary adopter takes the 6 well-paid 90% weeks, then the couple shares the remainder according to who earns what — run both partners' numbers through the shared parental pay calculator to compare. Source: GOV.UK.