Statutory Neonatal Care Pay - SNCP
As an employee of Nasa Umbrella, you are by law entitled to certain statutory benefits like Statutory Neonatal Care Pay.
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
The weekly rate of Statutory Neonatal Care Pay is £194.32, or 90% of your average weekly taxable earnings, whichever is lower.
You will be paid based on your usual payment dates in line with your agency’s payment terms.
An employee must qualify for Neonatal Care Leave and Statutory Neonatal Care Pay both as a parent with caring responsibility for the baby, and as an employee.
In England, Scotland and Wales, you can get up to 12 weeks’ pay and leave if their baby:
• was born on or after 6 April 2025
• spends 7 days or more in neonatal care in a row
To get both leave and pay, you must be classed as an employee
You may be eligible if you are taking leave and pay to care for the baby and you are also either:
• the baby’s parent (biological, adoptive or of a child born to a surrogate) and have caring responsibility for the baby
• the partner of the baby’s mother, with shared caring responsibilities
If the employee or their partner is an adoptive parent
An employee may be eligible for leave and pay if they are taking the leave to care for the child and either of the following apply:
• the child has been placed with them for adoption (or they’ve been approved for adoption)
• they are the partner of the adopter and have shared caring responsibilities
You may be eligible if you or your partner are adopting a baby from overseas and:
• will have caring responsibility for the baby
• the baby has been placed with you
• you have the ‘official notification’ confirming they’re allowed to adopt
Neonatal Care Leave
Employees are eligible from the first day of their employment.
Statutory Neonatal Care Pay
You must have been employed for at least 26 weeks up to the end of the ‘qualifying week’.
If you are already entitled to Maternity or Paternity Pay, this is the 15th week before the baby is due. If you’re already entitled to Statutory Adoption Pay, it’s the week the you were told you’d been matched with the baby for adoption.
Otherwise, the qualifying week is the week immediately before the baby enters neonatal care.
You must also:
- remain employed up to the week before they claim the pay entitlement
- earn on average at least £125 a week (before tax) over an 8-week period
Notice period
Employees must give notice for:
- Neonatal Care Leave
- Statutory Neonatal Care Pay
If you’re eligible, you should give notice for pay and leave at the same time in writing, for example by email or letter.
What you need to tell Nasa Umbrella
- your name
- the baby’s due date, date of birth and, if adopted, the date they were placed with you (or the date the baby entered Great Britain if adopted from overseas)
- the start and end date of the baby’s neonatal care
- when you want the neonatal care leave to begin
- how many weeks of leave you are taking
In the case of multiple births, you should provide this information for each child.
You must also confirm that you:
- are taking the leave and pay to care for the child
- have parental responsibility for the child, if this is the first time you are giving notice for Neonatal Care Pay and Leave
If you are not eligible for Statutory Neonatal Care Pay we will provide you with a NE01 Form.
Further information on Statutory Neonatal Care Pay can be found on the HMRC website here.
If you have any questions, please drop us a message via payroll@nasagroup.co.uk.