Statutory Neonatal Care Pay and Leave: employer guide

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Overview

An employee may be eligible for Statutory Neonatal Care Pay and Leave if they or their partner have a baby that needs neonatal care.

‘Neonatal care’ is the name given to care for newborn babies which starts in the first 28 days after birth. This may be for:

  • hospital care
  • medical care after leaving hospital
  • palliative or end of life care

Post-hospital medical care must be supervised by a consultant and include ongoing visits or checks arranged by the hospital where the baby was treated.

The baby must:

  • enter neonatal care within 28 days of birth
  • spend at least 7 consecutive days in neonatal care

Parents must be employed in England, Scotland or Wales. 

The baby must be born on or after 6 April 2025.

Neonatal Care Leave

An employee can take up to a maximum of 12 weeks’ Neonatal Care Leave from the first day of their employment.

They can take one week of leave for every 7 consecutive full days the baby spends in neonatal care. 

Employees must take all leave within 68 weeks of the baby’s date of birth.

They can take the leave:

  • while the baby is in neonatal care, or in the first week after (this is sometimes called ‘tier 1’)
  • more than a week after the baby has left neonatal care (this is sometimes called ‘tier 2’)

How leave is taken

If the baby is in neonatal care, or in the first week after, employees can take it in blocks of at least one week at a time. They do not have to take these all at the same time.

If it has been more than a week since the baby left neonatal care, employees must take any leave they’re entitled to in one single continuous block.

They must give you the correct notice for their leave.

Taking Neonatal Care Leave with other types of statutory leave

Employees must take Neonatal Care Leave after any Statutory Maternity or Adoption Leave.

If the baby is in neonatal care, or in the first week after, Neonatal Care Leave can be interrupted by other types of pre-booked parental leave (such as Paternity or Shared Parental Leave). The remaining period of Neonatal Care Leave can be tagged immediately onto the end of the other parental leave.

If leave is being taken later than the first week after the baby leaves neonatal care, it can only be taken in a single block, before or after any other existing parental leave entitlement.

Statutory Neonatal Care Pay

Statutory Neonatal Care Pay for an eligible employee is either £187.18 a week or 90% of their average weekly earnings, whichever is lower. 

Tax and National Insurance need to be deducted.

Find out how to reclaim payments or apply for an advance if you cannot afford payments.

Extra leave or pay

You can offer more than the statutory amounts if you have a company scheme for neonatal care leave and pay. You must make sure your scheme’s policies are clear and available to staff.

Employment rights

An employee’s rights (like the right to pay rises, holidays and returning to a job) are protected during Neonatal Care Leave.

If you make an employee redundant, you must pay any outstanding neonatal care pay. 

You must pay Statutory Neonatal Care Pay even if you stop trading.