Adoption & Surrogacy

You don't have to tell us until you are ready to, but the earlier you tell us, the sooner we can offer you support and plan any potential periods of leave you'll need.

You might be eligible for Statutory Adoption Leave and Statutory Adoption Pay, if you're adopting a child or fostering a child permanently and becoming their legal parent (fostering to adopt).

You might be eligible for Statutory Adoption Leave and Statutory Adoption Pay, if you're applying to become the legal parent within 6 months of the child's birth. To qualify you must apply for a parental order (if one intended parent is genetically related to the child) or an adoption order (if neither parent is genetically related to the child).

No, if a child isn't newly matched for adoption (such as when you adopt a partner's child) you aren't eligible for any statutory leave or pay, but please do talk to us as we may allow you to take holiday or unpaid leave.

No, you're only entitled to one period of leave and pay if you're adopting two or more children in the same placement. If it's a separate placement, you'll be entitled to a second period of adoption leave and pay when the second placement begins.

If you're adopting as a couple, only one of you can get adoption leave and pay, this person is known as the Primary Adopter. Its up to you to decide who will be the Primary Adopter and receive adoption leave and pay.

The other partner - the Secondary Adopter - could be eligible for paternity leave and pay, or your could use shared parental leave and pay instead.

Regardless of the number of hours you work, if you're the primary adopter or a parent to a child through surrogacy, you must meet the following criteria to be eligible for adoption leave:

• Give us proof of the adoption in the form of a matching certificate or a formal letter from the adoption agency

• Notify us of your intention to take leave - you need to do this within 7 days of being matched with a child or your adoption placement being confirmed (there's a handy form on the intranet for this)

• If adopting from overseas, provide relevant UK authority notification that you're adopting and evidence the child has entered the UK to live with you

After you've been matched with a child, the Primary Adopter can go to up to 5 adoption appointments (on full pay). The Secondary Adopter can attend up to 2 adoption appointments (without pay). 

As a parent going through surrogacy, you're entitled to take up to 2 days unpaid leave to attend antenatal appointments with the person carrying the child.

Please use our Adoption Leave and Pay request form available on the intranet (see below).

Up to 52 weeks.

You can either start your leave when you've been matched with the child, or up to 14 days before the expected date of placement. If you're adopting from overseas you can start your adoption leave either when the child arrives in the UK, or within 28 days of them arriving in the UK.

You need to give us at least 28 days' notice.

You can tell us when you want to return from adoption leave, but if you aren't sure we'll assume you're going to take the full 52 weeks. You need to give us 8 weeks' notice if you want to change your return date (although we might be able to agree a return date with less notice so please speak to your manager).

Yes, you have the option to work for up to 10 Keep In Touch days. KIT days do not extend your adoption leave.

If you do work a KIT day, this counts as one full day even if you're only in work for an hour.

Where you work a KIT day, your pay will be topped up to your normal basic pay.

KIT days have to be agreed in advance with your manager, there's no obligation for us to offer them and you don't have to accept them.

Your adoption leave ends 8 weeks after the placement ended if:

• you've started adoption leave but the agency tells you the placement can't happen

• the child passes away during adoption leave

• the child is returned to the adoption agency

If you earn more than the National Insurance Lower Earnings Limit and have worked for us for at least 26 weeks by the date you are matched, you'll be entitled to Statutory Adoption Pay. This is paid as follows:

• first 6 weeks - 90% of your normal pay

• 33 weeks - Statutory payment, or 90% of your normal pay (whichever is lower)

The remaining 13 weeks of your adoption leave would be unpaid.

If you don't qualify for pay, we'll let you know and give you a form SAP1 so you can contact the Department for Work and Pensions for Adoption Allowance.

Pay ceases during your adoption leave period if:

• you get taken into legal custody

• you return to work

• you start work for someone else

• you pass away

You continue to accrue holiday entitlement, but you can't take holidays at the same time as adoption leave.

You may want to extend your adoption leave by taking your paid holidays at the end of your adoption leave period. If it's more beneficial for you, you can ask to be paid for any outstanding holidays (usually at the end of your adoption leave period) - if you wish to do this you should email payroll telling them what date you'd like payment and how many days you are claiming.

If you've taken up to 26 weeks adoption leave, you have the statutory right to return to the same job. If you've taken more than 26 weeks' adoption leave, you have the statutory right to return to the same job unless we have a genuine reason to offer you an alternative (on the same or more favourable terms, e.g. pay, benefits, holidays, location, seniority).

As you adjust to life as a parent, you may want to vary your working pattern. If this is the case please complete a Flexible Working Request Form from the intranet (LINK TO FORM).

If you're ill when you're due to return to work, normal sickness procedures apply.

You need to submit your resignation in writing, giving the correct notice as set out in your contract. Prior to doing this, we'd ask you to speak to your manager as there may be different career choices that work for both you and us. As we may need a handover, we may ask you to use one or more of your KIT days to do this.