UK statutory pay caps 2026.
Every figure that matters — redundancy pay, maternity and paternity pay, ET compensation limits, sick pay, and minimum wage. With calculators. Updated for April 2026. Award limits come from SI 2026/310; statutory-payment and minimum-wage rates have separate GOV.UK sources below.
UK Statutory Pay Caps 2026
UK statutory pay caps 2026/27: weekly pay cap £751, redundancy pay calculator, SMP/SPP maternity paternity calculator, SSP up to £123.25 or 80% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower. Sources: GOV.UK and HMRC.
What is the UK weekly pay cap for 2026?
From 6 April 2026, the statutory weekly pay cap is £751. This applies to the basic award in unfair dismissal claims and to statutory redundancy pay calculations. Source: SI 2026/310.
What is the maximum statutory redundancy pay in 2026?
For eligible employees, the maximum statutory redundancy pay is £22,530 from 6 April 2026 (30 weeks × £751 weekly pay cap). The maximum requires all 20 counted years to fall in the age-41-and-over band.
What is the SMP rate for 2026?
Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is paid for 39 weeks. The first 6 weeks are at 90% of your average weekly earnings (AWE). The remaining 33 weeks are at £194.32 per week or 90% of AWE, whichever is lower.
What is the SSP rate for 2026?
From 6 April 2026, Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is the lower of £123.25 per week and 80% of average weekly earnings for eligible employees. The waiting day rule was abolished — SSP is now payable from the first day of sickness.
Resources · Reference + calculators
UK statutory pay caps 2026.
What is the UK weekly pay cap for 2026?
When an Employment Tribunal calculates your redundancy pay or basic award for unfair dismissal, it does not use your full salary if you earn above a legal limit. Parliament sets a maximum weekly figure — the statutory weekly pay cap — and the tribunal uses whichever is lower: your actual weekly pay or the cap. From 6 April 2026, that cap is £751 a week (up from £719). If you earn more than £39,052 a year, only £751 a week is used in the basic award calculation.
How much statutory redundancy pay am I entitled to in 2026?
Statutory redundancy pay is calculated from how many complete years you worked, your age during each of those years, and your weekly pay (capped at £751). You normally need two years of continuous employment. You get 1.5 weeks' pay for each year aged 41 or over, 1 week for years between 22 and 40, and half a week for years under 22. Service is capped at 20 years. The maximum statutory redundancy payment in 2026 is £22,530. Use the calculator below to get your figure, or the full statutory redundancy pay calculator with worked examples.
What is the maximum unfair dismissal compensation in 2026?
Unfair dismissal has two parts. The basic award uses the £751 cap (maximum £22,530). The compensatory award uses your real weekly pay but is capped at £123,543 or 52 weeks' actual pay (lower of the two). Discrimination claims are uncapped. Statutory sick pay is the lower of £123.25/week and 80% of average weekly earnings from April 2026, now payable from day one. Statutory maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental pay is £194.32/week (or 90% of AWE if lower). The award limits are from SI 2026/310; HMRC publishes statutory-payment rates separately.
At a glance — effective 6 April 2026
Basic award + redundancy
Or 52 wks' pay (lower) — abolished for EDTs from 1 Jan 2027
Or 80% of AWE, if lower
Statutory redundancy pay calculator
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Maternity and paternity pay calculator
Calculates Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) over 39 weeks and Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) over 2 weeks, based on your salary.
Employment Tribunal compensation limits
Source: SI 2026/310 — The Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2026, in force 6 April 2026.
| Item | 2025/26 | 2026/27 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly pay cap | £719 | ERA 1996 s.227 — basic award and redundancy | |
| Maximum basic award | £21,570 | 30 weeks × weekly cap | |
| Maximum compensatory award | £118,223 | Lesser of £123,543 or 52 × actual weekly pay — abolished where the effective date of termination is on or after 1 January 2027 | |
| Maximum statutory redundancy | £21,570 | Same cap as basic award |
The compensatory award cap does not apply to discrimination or whistleblowing claims (uncapped). The £751 weekly cap only applies to the basic award — the compensatory award uses actual weekly pay up to the £123,543 ceiling. Cap abolished from 1 January 2027: Section 25(3) of the Employment Rights Act 2025 repeals ERA 1996 s.124 in full, so both limbs of the cap go: the £123,543 figure and the 52 weeks' pay limit. It is commenced by SI 2026/559, reg. 3(a), on 1 January 2027, and reg. 4 applies it wherever the effective date of termination is on or after that date, even if notice was given earlier. Where the effective date of termination is before 1 January 2027 the cap above still applies. From then on there is no ceiling on the compensatory award in ordinary unfair dismissal claims.
Redundancy multipliers
Statutory payment rates
Effective 6 April 2026 (SMP from 5 April 2026).
| Payment | Rate (weekly) | Key rule |
|---|---|---|
| Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) | Or 80% of average weekly earnings if lower; eligible from the first qualifying day | |
| Statutory Maternity Pay — wks 7–39 | Weeks 1–6: 90% AWE. Lower of flat rate or 90% AWE thereafter. | |
| Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) | 2 weeks. Lower of flat rate or 90% AWE. | |
| Statutory Adoption Pay — wks 7–39 | Weeks 1–6: 90% AWE. Lower of flat rate or 90% AWE thereafter. | |
| Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) | Lower of flat rate or 90% AWE. |
SSP change from 6 April 2026:
The three waiting days have been abolished under the Employment Rights Act 2025. For eligible employees, SSP is payable from the first qualifying day of sickness at the lower of £123.25 a week and 80% of average weekly earnings. The lower earnings limit has been removed, but other eligibility conditions still apply. For example, average weekly earnings of £100 give a weekly SSP rate of £80.
National Minimum and Living Wage
Source: The National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Regulations 2026, in force 1 April 2026.
| Age group | 2025/26 | 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|
| 21 and over (National Living Wage) | £12.21 /hr | £12.71 /hr |
| 18 to 20 | £10.00 /hr | £10.85 /hr |
| 16 to 17 | £7.55 /hr | £8.00 /hr |
| Apprentices | £7.55 /hr | £8.00 /hr |
Accommodation offset: £11.10 per day from 1 April 2026.
GOV.UK: SSP rate and average earnings rule · HMRC: 2026/27 employer rates
ET limits: SI 2026/310 sets the weekly pay cap, basic award cap, and compensatory cap from 6 April 2026. The dismissal effective date determines which year's caps apply.
Statutory payments: SSP waiting-day abolition took effect under the Employment Rights Act 2025. SMP effective date is 5 April (Sunday before the 6 April uprate) to align with the tax week.
NMW/NLW: Takes effect from the first pay reference period on or after 1 April — not 6 April. Accommodation offset £11.10/day.
This is not legal advice. Start My Claim is self-service software. Verify figures at legislation.gov.uk.
Put these figures to work
Calculate your full Schedule of Loss.
The Schedule of Loss calculator combines basic award, compensatory loss, ACAS uplift and Vento bands in one place. Uses the 2026/27 caps automatically. Free.
Vento bands 2026 — discrimination award estimator
Schedule of Loss calculator — full compensation picture
Basic vs compensatory award — what is the difference?
Unfair dismissal compensation — how it is calculated
Redundancy pay — your rights explained
Injury to feelings and Vento bands — complete guide
How do you want to enter your service length?
— capped at 20 for statutory purposes
Capped at 20 years for statutory redundancy.
— under the cap, full amount used
This only illustrates a scheme defined as a multiple of statutory pay. Other contractual schemes may use different pay, service and qualifying rules.
Statutory redundancy pay
Statutory redundancy pay normally requires two years of continuous employment. This estimate is £0. Check your contract for any separate entitlement.
Statutory minimum only. For the full ET compensation picture (basic award + compensatory loss + ACAS uplift), use the Employment Compensation Estimate .
Enter your employment dates (or years), salary, and age at dismissal to calculate your statutory redundancy pay.
SPP (2 weeks): Same flat rate as SMP weeks 7–39. You must give at least 15 weeks' notice before the baby is due.
Your employer may pay more — check your contract for any enhanced maternity or paternity pay entitlement.
Below the earnings threshold
You may be able to claim Maternity Allowance from the DWP instead, which has different qualifying rules based on how long you have worked and what you have earned over the 66 weeks before your baby is due.
Total SMP (39 weeks)
Weeks 1–6 (90% AWE × 6)
Rate used weeks 7–39
Statutory Paternity Pay (2 weeks)
These are statutory minimums. Your contract may provide enhanced pay. Check with your employer or HR department.
Enter your annual salary to see your SMP and SPP entitlement.