What leave are adopters entitled to?

Employed adopters are usually entitled to adoption leave and may be entitled to adoption pay, which is a legal right. Some employers may offer a more generous scheme than the statutory one, but they cannot offer less than the statutory amounts.

Statutory Adoption Leave is 52 weeks. It’s made up of:

• 26 weeks of Ordinary Adoption Leave
• 26 weeks of Additional Adoption Leave

Only 1 person in a couple can take adoption leave. The other partner could get paternity leave instead.

If you get adoption leave, you can also get paid time off work to attend 5 adoption appointments after you’ve been matched with a child.

The latest guidance on adoption leave and pay is available here: https://www.gov.uk/adoption-pay-leave/leave