AQW 8677/22-27

Mr Robbie Butler
Ulster Unionist Party
Lagan Valley

Tabled Date: 12/03/2024
Answered On Date: 05/04/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy why self-employed adoptive parents are not entitled to Statutory Adoption Pay.

Answer:

Statutory adoption pay is available to employed earners whose employer makes class 1 national insurance contributions on their behalf. A different class of national insurance is payable by self-employed people; therefore, they are unable to receive statutory adoption pay. This approach is common with other forms of statutory payment.

Support for self-employed adopters is available, including means-tested financial support, advice, information and counselling, and other services. Universal Credit, the child element to that benefit, and child benefit are also available to provide support with the costs of raising children.

The Department of Health will bring forward regulations under the Adoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 which will put in place transitional adoption support service arrangements. I understand this will include additonal provisions intended to improve and enhance financial and other support for all adoptive families.