•Statutory maternity pay (SMP), statutory adoption pay (SAP), statutory paternity pay (SPP) and statutory shared parental pay (SSPP) are payments made to certain employees by their employers for the birth or adoption of a child.

•Statutory parental bereavement pay (SPBP) is a payment made to certain employees by their employers following the death of a child or a stillbirth.

•SMP, SAP, SPP SSPP and SPBP are not means tested, although they have employment and earnings conditions.

•You do not need to intend to return to work to qualify for SMP, SAP, SPP, SSPP or SPBP, and you do not have to repay any of these payments if you do not return.

•You may be entitled to more maternity, adoption, paternity, shared parental pay or pay in connection with a bereavement under your employment contract.

•If you disagree with your employer’s decision on your entitlement, or if your employer has failed to make a decision, you can challenge this (see Chapter 60).