# Shared Parental Leave



## tinkytoes (Aug 27, 2016)

Hi, I was wondering if anyone could please share their experiences with Shared Parental Leave and Pay.  I am finding it so hard to understand! 

H and I intend to take Shared Parental Leave from day one together, he has an enhanced package at work and so we will take his pay and I will claim nothing other than the Leave.  Then when he returns to work I wonder can I then claim the Pay (which will be statutory for me) until the end of the Leave (which I know will be shortened on account of H's Leave)?

We both satisfy the 26 weeks thing.  

Also, I wonder if we can claim Child Benefit owing to reduced income (we would be below the income threshold during the leave) and can either of us claim free NHS dental treatment (like you would if on maternity/pregnant). 

Thanks!


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## Tictoc (Aug 20, 2015)

The only thing I know if you don't get free dental - that's only for pregnancy as pregnancy is more likely to result in dental problems.

For child benefit you should be able to claim as long as your earnings fall below the £100k for the financial year - am sure you already know but it's irrelevant what earnings are for any period within the year as it's based on earnings for full financial year.

For shared parental I'm afraid it's going to be complicated - I imagine if you are taking leave for first part it's going to be hard to switch from leave to adoption leave - surely your qualifying 26 weeks would no longer work.


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## Thepinklady (Apr 16, 2014)

The only way both of you could take leave together from the start is if one of you take adoption leave and the other uses holiday leave. The shared adoption leave can not be taken at the same time. One person has to take the leave statutory or enhanced and then when they return to work the other takes the remainder of the period that is left. If your husband takes it from the start as he would get an enhanced package any leave you would have would not be under the adoption scheme it would simply be holiday entitlement or unpaid leave but as tictoc has said taking unpaid leave may invalidate your claim to adoption leave when your husband returns as you may not meet your qualifying period. You would need to check with your HR department.


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## tinkytoes (Aug 27, 2016)

Thanks guys. 

But I'm scratching my head now and a bit confused!

I've read on the government website that adopters can be off together at the same time under Shared Parental Leave (it is pay that is not paid at the same time).  This has been in place since April 2015.  it is clear that H and I can be off at the same time but the time he is off will reduce the amount of time that I am off.

It is a complicated business in terms of the notices that must be given etc to get off Adoption Leave and Pay and get onto Shared Parental Leave and Pay but I think I understand those requirements. 

What is not clear is that if H claims his enhanced work's Parental Pay and Parental Leave (and I take my Parental Leave), when H goes back to work can I then claim statutory Shared Parental Pay.  I satisfy the 26 weeks in continuous employment (level of income etc) to qualify for it (and under the rules the time off for Shared Parental Leave cannot affect that), but the guidance I am reading doesn't actually state it and I am tying myself up in knots.  I just wondered if anyone else here (and I appreciate it has only been in place for less than 2 years) has opted to do it in this way. 

It's very messy!

Thanks for the comments thought especially child benefit and NHS, most helpful  

xx


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## tinkytoes (Aug 27, 2016)

PS no HR department where I work (small office)


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## ciacox (May 31, 2013)

Hi tinkytoes - we did shared parental leave but consecutively, not together. I do remember reading that you can take it together though. So if youre off togwther for a mobth, that counts as two mobths leave. I think you would be eligible for shared parental pay once he goes back. He'd have to be the primary adopter (read 'mother' in most docs!) and sign something to say he's willing to hand over his rights to pay and leave to you when you go back.


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## ciacox (May 31, 2013)

Sorry for typos!


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## Thepinklady (Apr 16, 2014)

Sorry I did not realise you could take leave at the same time. Very interesting. Ignore my comments then. Sorry.


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## tinkytoes (Aug 27, 2016)

Ciacox fab, thanks.  Don't worry pinklady, you'll know for your next adoption!


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## GERTIE179 (Apr 20, 2005)

The primary cared would get SAP within enhanced pay (employers claim that part back from gov), so highly unlikely you would be able to claim SAP after DH returns to work.


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## capri44 (Aug 11, 2010)

Hiya
My understanding is that you can share both pay and leave as long as the total number of weeks between the both of you are not exceeded. So as the 39 weeks pay can be shared, you can decide how many weeks pay you each want to use, either separately or at the same time. Here's a useful link for you;

http://m.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=4911

Hope this helps!


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## tinkytoes (Aug 27, 2016)

Thanks Capri, thats so helpful, I agree and I'm pretty certain that it work out the way we hope it will.


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