Proposed new statutory payment rates

The Government has announced the proposed new rates of benefits for 2012.  The proposals of particular interest to employers are as follows:

• statutory adoption, maternity and paternity pay and maternity allowance will increase from £128.73 to £135.45 per week;
• statutory sick pay will increase from £81.60 to £85.85 per week; and
• the earnings threshold for statutory adoption, maternity, paternity and sick pay will increase from £102 to £107 per week.

The proposed increases will be confirmed in 2012 and are expected to take effect in the week commencing 9 April 2012.