How do I add paternity pay?

Summary

The following article explains how to enter and keep track of an employee's Statutory Paternity pay.

PLEASE NOTE: If you are unsure whether to pay Statutory Paternity Pay, please refer to the information you will have been provided with by HMRC explaining the rules governing statutory pay or visit the HMRC web site here.

Entering the Paternity Pay record

To allow the Payroll system to calculate SPP where applicable, the SMP/SAP/SPP flag on Page 3: Statutory Payments of the employee record, should be set to Yes.

When the system starts to pay Paternity Pay, you will have to zero out the Hours Worked/Basic Salary to ensure they only receive their Paternity Pay and any other additions/deductions from their pay.

Go to " Systems Payroll Run Payroll Period"

Enter <Y> against the employee's correct pay frequency or click the [Down arrow] and select [Yes] then click the [OK] button to go into the payroll.
Choose the relevant employee, then click <Ctrl+F8> to take you through SMP/SAP/SPP Entry.
Choose [Paternity].

This will take you to a screen that includes the following editable prompts:

Date Baby Due
Qualifying Week
Average Weekly Earnings
Date Baby Born
Paternity Leave Begins

The lower part of the screen headed "SPP Entitlement (Based on initial rates)". This shows a display (i.e. it is not editable) of information and totals based on the information added at the top of the screen and shows headings as follows:

Paternity Pay Period
Earnings Related Rate
Standard Rate
Totals
Keeping in Touch Days
SPP Diary

Date Baby Due

Enter the date the baby is due. (EWC stands for Expected Week of Confinement). The employee must have worked for you for at least 26 weeks by the end of the 15th week before the baby is due. If the Payroll system warns you the employee has "NOT been employed for 26 Weeks" then it has calculated the number of weeks since the employee started and has worked out that they have not worked for you for long enough to qualify for Paternity Pay.

Qualifying Week

This will be calculated for you by the system. This date is 15 weeks before the date the baby is due. When you enter the average weekly earnings, this date will be used as a point of reference.

Average Weekly Earnings

Enter the employee's average weekly wage based on their pay over the 8 weeks previous to the Qualifying Week.

Date Baby Born

ONLY enter this date if the baby is born BEFORE the employee was intending to start Paternity Leave.

Paternity Leave Begins

The Paternity Pay Period will usually begin on the first Sunday on or after this date, unless Paternity Leave is starting earlier than expected because the employee's wife has given birth early or has suffered a pregnancy related illness. This should be the first FULL day of absence from work.

Completing the Paternity Pay Entry

When you have entered all the relevant details for the Paternity Pay record, the SPP Entitlement section will display the Paternity Pay Period and the amounts to be paid over this period.

Press <Esc> and <Enter> to accept the record.

Checking Previous Paternity Pay Entries

When a record has been created you may view a weekly diary which shows the amount of Paternity Pay paid per week. You may also stop pay for a period e.g. if the employee works during a Paternity leave period they are not entitled to SPP for that period. Pressing <F2> will bring up an SPP Diary, that shows the following fields:

Week
End of PPP
Status
KIT
SPP Paid
Total

Week

This column lists the number of weeks of Paternity Pay.

End of PPP

This displays the week end date.

Status

This column allows you to designate a week to be unpaid/excluded from Paternity Pay.

<> - Leave the field blank to allow Paternity Pay to be paid for the SPP Period.
<W> - If the Employee has worked for one or more days in the week, they will not be eligible for Paternity Pay. Entering <W> will tell the system the employee is not to be paid SPP for that week. If you wish to record a note e.g. worked 2 days, press <Enter> to jump to the Notes field.
<E> - If the Employee is excluded from a Paternity Pay Period, entering <E> will prevent them from being paid any SPP in the specified period. Press <Enter> to jump to the Notes field if you wish to record a note for why you have excluded them for that week.

'P' - If this letter is shown, the Paternity pay has been paid and the relevant pay period has been closed.

SPP Paid

This column shows the amount of Paternity Pay which is paid during each Paternity Pay period.

Total

This column shows a running total of SPP paid to the employee.

Notes

Enter any notes about why you are withholding SPP.

Press <Esc> to exit the SPP Diary.