Law changes on paternity leave, but low statutory rate remains a key barrier

New legislation allowing dads to split their paternity leave into two blocks is enacted today.

The Paternity Leave Amendment Regulations 2024 will apply to dads whose children are born on or after 6th April and allows paternity leave to be split into two blocks of one week at any point in the first year after the birth or adoption of their child.

The legislation comes as Pregnant Then Screwed and Women In Data® released a survey of 5,870 dads showing that 70.6% of fathers only used part of their paternity leave entitlement because they couldn’t afford to stay off work any longer.

Just three in five fathers (63.7%) took two weeks or less paternity leave following the birth of their most recent child. When looking at the use of enhanced paternity leave through employer benefit schemes, less than a third (29%) of fathers surveyed could access enhanced paternity pay around the birth of their most recent child. This dropped to one in give fathers in households with household income under £60,000.

Half (48.3%) of fathers who had access to enhanced paternity pay said they were only able to take two weeks or less of paternity leave. Around a third of fathers who took two weeks or less paternity leave said they were ready to return to work physically after their paternity leave, 14% said they were ready to return mentally and 12.8% said they were ready to return emotionally.

The UK has the least generous paternity leave entitlement in Europe. Currently, the statutory entitlement to paternity leave is two weeks, and the weekly rate for paternity pay is £172.48 a week or 90% of your salary (whichever is lower).

Pregnant Then Screwed is calling for paternity leave to be increased to six weeks paid at 90% of salary as it is for women.

Joeli Brearley, CEO of Pregnant Then Screwed, said: “Paternity leave isn’t a break from work, it isn’t a holiday – it is crucial bonding time. We know that paternity leave has huge benefits for the whole family: children do better in the education system, and there is research to suggest they have better physical health. Paternity leave reduces the divorce rate – couples are more likely to stay together. It has benefits for the physical and mental health of mothers, and we know that many dads are desperate to spend more time with their children. When fathers and partners take paternity leave, it supports the mother’s return to the labour market. We need a parental leave system which recognises and supports the crucial role dads play in families.”

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