​Statutory maternity pay, limits and allowances (rates per week)

GP principals

As of 1 April 2015, payments to cover maternity, paternity and adoption leave stopped being discretionary and are now automatically covered.

Where a GMS practice:

• engages a locum
• employs a salaried GP under a fixed term contract
• uses the services of a GP performer who is a party to the contract or who is already employed or engaged by the contractor

to cover a GP principal’s maternity, paternity or adoption leave they will be entitled to claim reimbursement for the cost of providing GP performer cover as per the rates detailed below. 

This reimbursement will cover both external locums and cover provided by salaried GPs on a fixed term contract or existing GPs within the practice who do not already work full time.

Reimbursement will be the lower of:

• £1,143,06 (maximum payment per week in respect of the first two weeks, for which reimbursement is provided), and;
• £1,751.52 (maximum payment per week in respect of any week thereafter where reimbursement is provided), or
• the actual invoiced costs during that period

Rates effective from 1 April 2018.

The same should apply to PMS practices who will also need to reach agreement with the NHS Commissioning Board.