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February 2026 – Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave & New Statutory Rates

 

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Employment Update for Small Businesses
February 2026
Dear Subscriber

We are still looking for the right person to join our team. Someone with advanced HR credentials and an excellent grasp of employment law. If you know someone who might fit the bill please put them in touch. We would love to have a chat.

In this month’s update we have news about a new piece of legislation to support bereaved partners who are left with the child care responsibility for a new-born child or one who had recently been placed with them and their partner for adoption.

We also provide an update on new statutory rates that come into force from April 2026.
Please contact me if you would like to find out a bit more about any of the subjects raised in this update or if you need any help or advice.

Please forward this email to any of your contacts who might find it of benefit.
Regards
Peter Etherington
Tel: 01664 668164www.etherington.co.uk

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Peter Etherington
The Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave Regulations 2026
Commencing 6th April 2026
On 29th December 2025 the Government passed a piece of legislation that extends the entitlement to 2 weeks paternity leave to cover situations where the child’s mother dies shortly after the birth or adoption, to allow the bereaved partner to take paternity leave at that point.

However, from 6th April 2026 that new provision becomes redundant and will be superseded by the Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave Regulations 2026. These regulations provide up to 52 weeks’ leave in these circumstances. Whilst there is currently no provision for statutory pay, the two weeks’ paid Statutory Paternity Leave period is still likely to apply.

These Regulations are in draft so may be subject to change between now and April.
New Statutory Rates
Family leave payments and sick pay
From 5th April 2026 the flat weekly rate for Statutory Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Shared Parental, Parental Bereavement (as set out above) and Neonatal Care Pay will increase from £187.18 to £194.32.

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) will increase from £118.75 to £123.25 per week from 6th April 2026. However, as reported last month, the rate will be 80% of normal pay if lower than the flat rate as there will no longer be any minimum earnings requirement. In addition, remember that SSP will be payable from the first day of sickness absence rather than the fourth day, as currently.
National Minimum and Living Wage
National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates will increase on 1st April 2026 as follows:

  • from £12.21 to £12.71 per hour for workers aged 21 and over
  • from £10.00 to £10.85 per hour for workers aged 18 to 20
  • from £7.55 to £8.00 per hour for workers aged 16 and 17, and for apprentices under 19 and those over 19 in their first year*

*N.B. Apprentices over 19 and who have completed at least one year are entitled to the appropriate rate for their age.
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