This article is about Justworks EOR (Employer of Record). What product am I using?
As an employee working in the United Kingdom through Justworks, you’re covered by a combination of public and private programs that protect your health, income, and overall wellbeing. These benefits ensure you can access healthcare, plan for your future, and take protected time off when you’re on holiday, unwell, or caring for your family.
This series of guides explains your UK benefits and leave entitlements in clear, straightforward language, based on official UK government guidance from GOV.UK and the National Health Service (NHS).
What You’ll Find in This Series
Health, Benefits, and Pension Coverage
Learn about the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), your private Bupa medical and dental coverage, and how life insurance, income protection, and pension contributions through Justworks and Smart Pension help support your financial security.
Leave and Sick Pay
Understand your rights to annual leave, public holidays, and Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) — including how leave accrues, how sick pay works, and where to find official forms and guidance.
Family and Parental Leave
Explore your entitlements to maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental, and parental bereavement leave — including pay details, eligibility rules, and how to apply for each type of leave.
Maternity Leave and Pay
If you’re pregnant, you’re entitled to up to 52 weeks of maternity leave, regardless of how long you’ve worked for your employer.
This consists of:
- 26 weeks of Ordinary Maternity Leave, and
- 26 weeks of Additional Maternity Leave.
You must take at least 2 weeks off after giving birth (4 weeks if you work in a factory).
Maternity Pay
Eligible employees receive Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) for up to 39 weeks:
- The first 6 weeks are paid at 90% of your average weekly earnings (before tax).
- The next 33 weeks are paid at £187.18per week, or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower).
If you’re not eligible for SMP, you may be able to claim Maternity Allowance through GOV.UK.
How to Apply
Statutory Maternity Leave
At least 15 weeks before your due date, inform your employer of your expected delivery date and when you wish to start your maternity leave. Your employer may request this information in writing.
Your employer is required to confirm your maternity leave start and end dates in writing within 28 days.
Use the maternity planner to determine when you need to claim your maternity leave.
Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)
Notify your employer that you plan to stop working to have a baby and specify the date you would like your SMP to begin. You must provide at least 28 days' notice (in writing if required) and proof of your pregnancy.
Your employer must confirm the amount of SMP you will receive and the start and end dates within 28 days.
If your employer determines that you are not eligible for SMP, they must provide you with form SMP1 within 7 days of their decision and explain the reasons for their conclusion.
Proof of Pregnancy
To receive SMP, you need to provide your employer with proof of pregnancy, though this is not necessary for maternity leave.
Within 21 days of your SMP start date (or as soon as possible if your baby is born early), you must give your employer one of the following:
- a letter from your doctor or midwife
- your MATB1 certificate (doctors and midwives will issue this to you no more than 20 weeks before your due date)
You will not receive SMP if you do not provide your employer with proof of your pregnancy.
Source: https://www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave
Paternity Leave and Pay
Fathers and partners can take up to 2 weeks of paid Paternity Leave after the birth or adoption of a child.
You must have worked for your employer for at least 26 weeks by the end of the 15th week before the baby is due (or by the week you’re notified of an adoption match).
Paternity Pay
Eligible employees receive Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) for up to 2 weeks at:
- £187.18 per week, or
- 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower).
How to Apply
You claim Paternity Leave and Pay directly through your employer.
You do not need to provide proof of the pregnancy or birth.
You must tell your employer the baby’s due date at least 15 weeks before the expected week of birth. The easiest way to do this is by completing the online paternity leave and pay form (previously called form SC3). Once completed, download or print the form and send it to your employer.
If you are adopting, the rules and forms are different — you should follow the adoption leave and pay process instead.
At least 28 days before you want to start your Paternity Leave, you must tell your employer:
- When you would like your leave to begin (for example, the day of the birth or the week after), and
- Whether you plan to take one or two weeks of leave.
You can use the GOV.UK Paternity Planner to check the deadlines for submitting your request and to plan your leave dates.
Source: GOV.UK – Paternity Pay and Leave
Shared Parental Leave (SPL)
To take Shared Parental Leave (SPL) or receive Shared Parental Pay (ShPP), you must follow the official application rules and timelines set out by the UK government.
You and your employer will need to:
- Follow the rules for starting Shared Parental Leave and Pay, and
- Give your employer at least 8 weeks’ written notice before your leave begins.
You can use the Shared Parental Leave forms and templates created by Acas to:
- Give notice that you plan to take SPL or ShPP
- Confirm when the mother or adopter will end their maternity or adoption leave and pay
- Book your leave dates
Tip: You can change your mind later about how much leave or pay you want to take, or when you plan to take it. However, you must still give your employer 8 weeks’ notice before the start of any revised leave dates.
If you do not include all required information, you may lose your entitlement to SPL or ShPP.
When Your Employer May Ask for More Information
Your employer can request additional information within 14 days of your application for SPL or ShPP. They may ask for:
- A copy of the birth certificate, or
- A declaration of the baby’s place and date of birth (if the birth has not yet been registered), or
- The name and address of your partner’s employer (or a declaration that your partner does not have one)
If you are adopting or fostering a child you plan to adopt, your employer may request:
- The name and address of the adoption agency or local authority,
- The date you were matched with the child,
- The date the child will begin living with you, and
- The name and address of your partner’s employer (or a declaration that your partner does not have one)
You must provide any requested information within 14 days of being asked.
You can find official forms and templates at GOV.UK – Shared Parental Leave and Pay.
Source: GOV.UK – Shared Parental Leave and Pay
Adoption Leave and Pay
If you take time off work to adopt a child or to have a child through a surrogacy arrangement, you may be eligible for both Statutory Adoption Leave and Statutory Adoption Pay.
These benefits provide protected time off and income while you welcome a child into your family. There are rules about when and how to claim your leave, and what to do if you need to change your dates. You may also be eligible for Shared Parental Leave and Pay, which allows you and your partner to share time off after adoption.
Your employment rights are protected while you are on adoption leave. This means you still have the right to:
- Receive any pay rises that occur during your leave
- Continue accruing holiday entitlement
- Return to your job after your leave ends
How Adoption Leave Works
Statutory Adoption Leave lasts for up to 52 weeks, and is divided into two parts:
- 26 weeks of Ordinary Adoption Leave, and
- 26 weeks of Additional Adoption Leave
Only one person in a couple can take adoption leave. The other partner may be eligible for paternity leave instead.
If you qualify for adoption leave, you are also entitled to paid time off to attend up to five adoption appointments after being matched with a child.
You can use the Adoption Leave Planner on GOV.UK to work out your leave dates and deadlines.
When Adoption Leave Can Start
Adoption leave can begin:
- Up to 14 days before the date the child is placed with you (for UK adoptions)
- On the date the child arrives in the UK or within 28 days after arrival (for overseas adoptions)
- On the day the child is born or the day after (for surrogacy arrangements)
Changing Your Dates
If the date of placement or UK arrival date changes, you must tell your employer within 28 days of the new date.
If you want to change your return-to-work date, you must give your employer at least 8 weeks’ notice.
How to apply
The process for Adoption Leave and Pay depends on whether you are adopting within the UK, adopting from overseas, or having a child through a surrogacy arrangement.
Adopting Within the UK
Within 7 days of being matched with a child, you must tell your employer:
- How much leave you want to take
- The date you want your leave to start
- The date of placement (the day the child will be placed with you)
Your employer can request this information in writing and may also ask for proof of the adoption.
Your employer must confirm your adoption leave start and end dates within 28 days of your notice. You can use the GOV.UK Adoption Leave Planner to check when you need to submit your claim.
For Statutory Adoption Pay, you must tell your employer when you plan to stop working and when you want your payments to start. You must provide at least 28 days’ notice. Your employer can ask for this in writing and may request proof of adoption.
Your employer must confirm within 28 days how much Statutory Adoption Pay you’ll receive and when payments will start and stop.
If they decide you are not eligible, they must provide you with form SAP1 within 7 days of that decision, along with an explanation.
Proof of Adoption
To qualify for Statutory Adoption Pay, you must give your employer proof of the adoption (proof is not required for leave unless specifically requested).
Acceptable proof includes:
- Your name and address, and that of the adoption agency
- The match date, for example, a matching certificate
- The placement date, for example, a letter from the agency
- For overseas adoptions:
- The official notification from the UK authority confirming you are eligible to adopt
- The child’s arrival date in the UK, for example, a flight ticket
Adopting from Overseas
If you’re adopting from overseas, you must tell your employer:
- The date of your official notification (the confirmation from the UK authority allowing you to adopt)
- The expected date of the child’s arrival in the UK
You must usually give this notice within 28 days of receiving your official notification.
If you have been with your employer for less than 26 weeks, you have until 28 days after the Sunday of your 26th week of employment to provide this notice.
Once your child arrives in the UK, you must tell your employer the actual date of arrival within 28 days, and provide:
- How much leave you plan to take, and
- The start date for your leave (with at least 28 days’ notice)
Surrogacy Arrangements
If you are having a baby through a surrogate, you must tell your employer the due date and when you plan to start your leave at least 15 weeks before the expected week of birth.
Your employer may ask for this in writing.
They may also request a written statement (statutory declaration) confirming that you have applied, or plan to apply, for a parental order within 6 months after the child’s birth.
This statement must be signed in the presence of a legal professional.
Source: GOV.UK – Adoption Leave and Pay
Parental Bereavement Leave
If your child dies before turning 18, or if you experience a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy, you and your partner may be entitled to Parental Bereavement Leave and Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay.
You may qualify for either or both, depending on your situation and eligibility. These benefits ensure you have protected time off and financial support during an extremely difficult time.
Eligible employees can take up to 2 weeks of Parental Bereavement Leave for each child who has died or was stillborn.
You are entitled to this leave from the first day of your employment.
You can choose to take:
- 2 weeks together,
- 2 separate weeks, or
- 1 single week of leave.
A “week” of leave corresponds to the number of days you normally work in a week.
Example: If you usually work on Mondays and Tuesdays only, one week of Parental Bereavement Leave would equal 2 working days.
Your leave can begin on or after the date of the death or stillbirth and must be completed within 56 weeks of that date.
Taking Leave with Other Statutory Leave
If you are already on another type of statutory leave — such as maternity, paternity, or shared parental leave — when your child dies or the stillbirth occurs, your Parental Bereavement Leave must start after your current leave ends.
You do not need to take it immediately after; however, all leave must still be completed within the 56-week period.
If your Parental Bereavement Leave is interrupted by another type of statutory leave, you can take any remaining entitlement once that other leave has finished.
You can also take Parental Bereavement Leave between blocks of pre-booked shared parental leave, even if that shared parental leave relates to another child.
Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay
If you qualify, you may be entitled to £187.18 per week or 90% of your average weekly earnings, whichever amount is lower.
Payments are made in the same way as your regular wages (for example, weekly or monthly), and are subject to tax and National Insurance deductions.
How To Apply
If you experience the loss of a child under 18 or a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy, you are entitled to Parental Bereavement Leave and may also qualify for Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay.
You have 56 weeks from the date of your child’s death to take your leave or to claim payment through your employer.
Taking Parental Bereavement Leave
You can take up to 2 weeks of leave — either as one continuous block or as two separate one-week periods.
The 56-week entitlement period is divided into two parts:
- From the date of the child’s death or stillbirth up to 8 weeks after, and
- From 9 weeks to 56 weeks after the date of the death or stillbirth.
You can choose to take your leave during either or both of these periods, depending on your needs.
Notice Requirements
You must tell your employer when you intend to take Parental Bereavement Leave.
The amount of notice required depends on when you plan to take your leave:
-
If taking leave within the first 8 weeks after the child’s death or stillbirth:
You must notify your employer before your usual start time on the first day of the week (or weeks) you plan to take off. -
If taking leave between 9 and 56 weeks after the child’s death or stillbirth:
You must give your employer at least one week’s notice before your leave is due to begin.
When you give notice, you must tell your employer:
- The date of the child’s death or stillbirth
- The date you want your leave to start, and
- The length of leave you plan to take (1 or 2 weeks)
You can give notice in any reasonable way — for example, by phone, text message, voicemail, email, or conversation. You do not need to complete a form or provide your notice in writing.
You are not required to provide proof of the death or stillbirth.
Claiming Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay
If you qualify, you must request Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay from your employer within 28 days, starting from the first day of the week you’re claiming payment for.
Each time you claim, you must provide the following information in writing (for example, by letter, email, or your employer’s form):
- Your name
- The dates you wish to claim for
- The date of the child’s death or stillbirth
You must also provide a declaration confirming that you are eligible because of your relationship to the child or baby.
You only need to complete this declaration once when you first claim pay.
You can complete the declaration in one of the following ways:
- Fill out the online declaration form (available through GOV.UK)
- Provide a written statement confirming your eligibility, or
- Use your employer’s own declaration form, if they have one.
After you submit your declaration and claim, your employer will verify your details and confirm your eligibility for Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay.
Source: GOV.UK – Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay
Need Help?
If you have questions about your benefits or time-off entitlements, you can reach out to international-support@justworks.com for assistance.
For official information about statutory rights in the UK, visit the GOV.UK Employment Rights portal.
Disclaimer
This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for accounting, legal or tax advice. If you have any legal or tax questions regarding this content or related issues, then you should consult with your professional legal or tax advisor.