Paternity pay in the UK is usually a fixed weekly statutory amount, OR 90% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower, and is normally paid for up to 2 weeks only.

How much is paternity pay?

For statutory paternity pay in the UK (the legal minimum your employer must pay if you qualify):

  • The current weekly rate is £187.18 or 90% of your average weekly earnings , whichever is lower.
  • From 6 April 2026 , the weekly rate is set to rise to £194.32 (again, or 90% of average weekly earnings if that is lower).
  • It is usually payable for up to 2 weeks of paternity leave.

Some employers offer more generous contractual paternity pay , where they “top up” the statutory amount to a higher percentage of your normal salary (sometimes full pay for a short period), but this depends entirely on your employment contract.

Key points at a glance

  • Statutory rate now : £187.18 per week max, or 90% of your average weekly earnings if that’s less.
  • Statutory rate from April 2026 : £194.32 per week max, or 90% of average weekly earnings if lower.
  • Duration : Up to 2 weeks of statutory paternity pay.
  • Earnings requirement : You need to earn at least around £125 per week , going up to £129 per week from April 2026 , to qualify for family leave pay like paternity pay.

Quick forum-style insight

“I got my full salary, but it turned out that only part of it was statutory pay and the rest was topped up by my employer.”

Experiences like this are common in UK forums:

  • Some workers only receive the basic statutory rate , which can feel very low compared with normal wages.
  • Others are on company schemes where the employer tops up to full or near-full pay for a short paternity leave period, especially in larger or more competitive organisations.

Mini FAQ

Is paternity pay on top of normal salary?

  • The statutory part is instead of your usual pay for those weeks, not on top.
  • Any extra is down to your employer’s policy (company paternity pay scheme).

Is paternity pay changing soon?

  • Yes. From 6 April 2026 , the statutory weekly rate for paternity pay is due to rise from £187.18 to £194.32.

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Find out how much paternity pay is in the UK, how long it lasts, the 2026 increase, and what forums say about employer top-ups and real-world experiences.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.