New tool makes planning shared parental leave easier

02 Sep 2021

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has launched a new online tool to help working families make the most of the Shared Parental Leave and Pay Scheme.

Parents can use the tool to check whether they are eligible for the scheme, see how many weeks of Shared Parental Leave and Statutory Shared Parental Pay are available to them, agree how they will share the entitlement between them, and plan how and when they will take their leave and pay.

The new tool transforms a lot of the detailed rules of the scheme into a simple process; the eligibility checker and planning tool each take less than 5 minutes to complete. Parents and employers can dip in and out of the plan as they firm up their dates for taking shared parental leave.

Although the tool is for parents, employers can also use the tool to perform a simple check for eligibility. The tool makes it easier for parents to access the scheme and easier for employers to understand and administer shared parental leave.

The tool provides guidance only, and employers will still need to check that their employee meets the continuity of service test for shared parental leave and the continuity of service and minimum earnings tests for Statutory Shared Parental Pay.

Some useful links from HMRC's website are below:

• To plan and check your eligibility for your shared parental leave and pay visit HERE
• guidance on shared parental leave and pay visit HERE