Minimum Wage and Statutory Pay Obligations

5. Adoption Pay

5.1 Adoption leave and statutory adoption pay (SAP) is available to employees who adopt, or one member of a couple where the couple adopt jointly.

• Adopters who have average weekly earnings below the lower earnings limit for National Insurance contributions (£90 a week) do not qualify for SAP.
• As with SMP and SPP, you can recover the amount of SAP you pay by offsetting the amount against NI contributions.
• Any additional adoption leave is unpaid.
• A right to paternity leave and pay for the other member of the couple, or an adopter's spouse or partner, is also available.