Paternity Allowance

Paternity Allowance (PA) may be payable if you take up to 2 weeks off work to:

• Support the mother of a newborn baby, or to look after the baby
• Support your partner who is adopting a child or to look after the child

You can claim PA for 1 or 2 whole weeks at any time up to 8 weeks after the:

• Child's birth
• Date the child is placed with you

Basic qualifying conditions

Paternity Allowance (birth)

To be eligible you must be either the:

• Baby's biological father
• Married to the mother
• Living with the mother in an enduring family relationship (but not an immediate relative)

and will take responsibility for the child's upbringing, and be taking time off work to support the mother or care for the child.

Employment condition: You must have been in employed earner's employment for a continuous period of at least 26 weeks ending with the 15th week before the week the child is expected to be born. You must also remain in employment up to the day before the child is born.

Earnings condition: You must have had earnings at or above the National Insurance lower earnings limit in each of the last 8 weeks of the 26 week period.

Paternity Allowance (adoption)

To be eligible you must be either:

• Married to the person adopting the child
• Living with the person adopting the child in an enduring family relationship (but not be an immediate relative)

and will take responsibility for the child's upbringing and taking time off work to support the person adopting the child or to care for the child.

Employment Condition: You must have been in employed earner's employment for a continuous period of at least 26 weeks up to and including the week you are told that you have been matched with the child. You must also remain in employment up to the day the child is placed with you.

You cannot claim if you are self-employed.

Earnings Condition: You must have had earnings at or above the National Insurance lower earnings limit, in each of the last 8 weeks of the 26 week period.

Applying for Paternity Allowance

Send a Paternity Allowance claim form to us:

• Once you have reached agreement with your employer about time off work
• During or after the 14^th week before the baby is expected, or after notification of matching in adoption cases.

Payment

We will pay you directly into your bank or building society account.