# Adoption Pay Query?



## Ally Wally (Mar 1, 2011)

I always presumed that Adoption Pay mirrored Maternity Pay in that you get 90% of your salary for the first 6 weeks and then you move onto the Statutory Adoption Pay. My company assumed the same. It's only when they did the pay roll this month, they discovered this was not the case. As an adoptive parent, you are only legally entitled to get Statutory Pay and not the first 6 weeks at 90% of your pay. 

Surely this is not fair. Luckily for me, my company confessed to the mistake but have decided to honour it as they had already paid me and put it in writing. Has anyone else had any experience of this? How can the government be promoting adoption massively on one hand but then not giving adoptive parents the same financial benefits are 'normal' parents.


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## katie c (Jun 15, 2009)

oh yes indeed! search my posts to see my experience 

if your company only gives SMP/SAP then you're right, adoptors don't get the enhanced 6 weeks. i researched this loads, and the only reason i can see for this is women aren't legally allowed to go back after giving birth for two weeks. so i guess the 90% is to compensate them for that. whereas in theory we could adopt, dump our kid in a creche and go back to work. obviously there is no way this would happen  but legally you _could._

i had it even better in that my employer gave a generous enhanced package to people on maternity beyond the 90% but statutory only for adoptors. it took me months to contest this, and luckily i was successful. but at the moment there is nothing in legislation to compel them to match the benefits, its purely on goodwill.


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## Loopylou29 (Mar 4, 2013)

The statutory rights are being made equal in . . . . .2015!!! Unfortunately this won't stop the disparity that sometimes occur with employers giving additional paid leave. Having said that it is always worth challenging as some employers, especially private companies haven't realised the policies aren't equal as adoption leave is not commonly used and the discrepancy isn't noticed until someone goes on adoption leave.
Its good that your employer is honouring what they promised but yes as it stands at the moment it is not fair.


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## Ally Wally (Mar 1, 2011)

Thanks for confirming this. Quite shocking really. But at least we have the benefit of child care vouchers from 2 years old for adopted/looked after children whereas others are only from 3 years of age.  I suppose some non- adopters may deem this as unfair.


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## Arrows (Nov 9, 2008)

As others have said, when challenged many companies will give the same benefits as maternity pay but it did take me 2yrs to get my company to change their policies and documents as they literally did not have any adoption policy (which given it has 1000s of employees is ridiculous).

They did pay me the same rates as maternity in the end though so that was positive.


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## kizzi79 (Jan 9, 2009)

Hi Ally  
I am very lucky that the nhs match there comparitively very generous maternity pay package for adopters (just in case there are any other NHSers out there reading).
Glad to hear your company are honouring what they originally offered though (wld have been a terrible shock if not).
Love Kiz and lil C  xx


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## thespouses (Jan 5, 2006)

Ally Wally said:


> Thanks for confirming this. Quite shocking really. But at least we have the benefit of child care vouchers from 2 years old for adopted/looked after children whereas others are only from 3 years of age. I suppose some non- adopters may deem this as unfair.


We don't, because our little boy was adopted from overseas and this doesn't apply to him!


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## katie c (Jun 15, 2009)

Ally Wally said:


> Thanks for confirming this. Quite shocking really. But at least we have the benefit of child care vouchers from 2 years old for adopted/looked after children whereas others are only from 3 years of age. I suppose some non- adopters may deem this as unfair.


i see that as a benefit for the child (albeit a nice one for me too  ) rather than the parents though. and quite rightly so, as the vast majority of adopted children haven't had the best start in life, so i think its quite fair they get a few 'perks'


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## Ipswichbabe (May 17, 2005)

I am getting 100% for first 3 months with my company, then statuary for 6mths.....


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## Daddyboo (Paul) (Dec 24, 2012)

If I was going to be the main carer then I could get 100% for 5 months and then Statutory for 4 months. 
Unfortunately I am the main earner and so I'll have to make do with 2 weeks unpaid leave (paternity pay only) and 2 weeks annual leave.

My DW (who will be the main carer) is leaving on the 12th December (next Thursday) and not going back to work until January 2015, and even then it will be part-time!
She gets 90% for 6 weeks (topped up to 100% from Stat pay), 50% for a further 12 weeks and finally the remaining 21 weeks of statutory pay.

I should also state that I'm in the private sector (professional engineering) and she is in the public sector (local authority).


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## mafergal (Jul 31, 2013)

Amazing seeing all these different adoption pay scales! I will get an income for 39 weeks but can have 52 weeks adoption leave. I'll get 100% pay for the first 6 months, SAP only for 3 months, 0 for the remaining 3 months. About the only good thing about my job


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## Ally Wally (Mar 1, 2011)

Gah! I need to work for a different company. Pauliboo/Ipswichbabe..any jobs going ;-)


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## Daddyboo (Paul) (Dec 24, 2012)

Ally Wally said:


> Gah! I need to work for a different company. Pauliboo/Ipswichbabe..any jobs going ;-)


There are jobs at my place, but you need to be a professional engineer or from the armed services. 

I really just wanted to say thanks for your blog - it's keeping my wife and I very excited about whats to come.
You must be over the moon with LBM, he sounds adorable, and frankly the similarities between LRUN and me (albeit Minis instead of LRs) is uncanny.
And my, JellyTot - where did that come from! I don't envy your decisions at all.

Sending lots of love to both you and your new family ,

Paul x

PS - your blog just made me tear up at work - damn you


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## Mummy DIY Diva (Feb 18, 2012)

Working for the la in a school I get nine months sap that's it.  Good to know that the authorities placing children value us so much less than private sector   I'd challenge it but I don't think I'll return to work so there's no point x c


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## Ally Wally (Mar 1, 2011)

Pauliboo..... What a lovely thing to say. Thanks so much for your support on the blog. Given half the chance and/or more space on the driveway, LRUN would have a mini too! 

Sorry about the tears... Just keeping it real ;-)


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