If the employee or their partner ends their maternity or adoption pay early, they can take the remaining leave as Shared Parental Leave (SPL).

Qualifying employees can also receive Shared Parental Pay (ShPP). Follow this article to set up this payment.

The employee must take SPL before the baby’s first birthday, or within one year of adoption. For more information about SPL and ShPP, go to Gov.UK.

Only process SPL once Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) ends, then the mother and partner can share any remaining weeks.

If you employ the partner of the mother or adopter, set this up using the shared parental pay (ShPP) for a partner article.

Before you set up

Before you set up ShPP, you need to:

• Enter SMP via the employee's record
  or
• Enter statutory adoption pay (SAP) via the employee's record

Your software can only calculate ShPP if you enter the born on date in the relevant process above.

Set up ShPP

To help ensure your employee provides all the details you need, ACAS has created templates that parents can use.

1. Double-click the relevant employee.
2. Go to the Absence tab.
3. Select S.M.P or S.A.P. as required.
4. Check you've entered the correct details, including:
   • For SMP, the Actually Born On date
   • For SAP, the Actual Date of Placement date
   • The Returned to Work date
5. On the Dates tab, select Shared Parental Pay.
   
   TIP:

   If the Shared Parental Pay button is missing, enter the employee's Returned to Work date. Your software still calculates SMP or SAP until this date.

6. Enter the following information:

   Declaration to take Shared Parental Leave and Pay	Once your employee has let you know they intend to take shared parental leave (SPL), select this checkbox.
   Number of Weeks Available	Enter the total number of weeks available for SPL as shown on the declaration your employee provided.
   Number of Weeks Being Taken	Enter the number of weeks the employee wants to take as SPL. This can't be more than the value entered in Number of Weeks Available.
   Number of Weeks Recorded	The number of weeks of SPL processed to date, taken from the employee's absence diary.
   Forename(s)	Enter the forename/s for the employee's partner.
   Surname	Enter the surname of the employee's partner. It's mandatory to enter this, as it forms part of your next full payment submission (FPS).
   N.I. Number	Enter the national insurance (NI) number for the employee's partner.

7. Click OK.
8. To return to the employee record, click OK.
9. Click OK, then click OK.
10. Click Save, then click Close.

Record the absence

1. Double-click the relevant employee.
2. Click the Absence tab, then click Diary Entry.
3. On the Absence Type list, click Other.
4. Click Shared Parental.
5. Enter the first and last date of the employee's absence for SPL.
6. Enter any relevant comments.
7. Click OK.

Check an employee's ShPP amount

1. Select the required employee, then click Payroll.
2. Click Enter Payments.
3. Click the Summary tab.
4. Check the amount of Shared Parental Pay is correct.