New and expectant fathers in the United Kingdom should receive the same redundancy protections as mothers, according to Labour MP Lola McEvoy. Currently, the UK's statutory paternity leave of two weeks is the least generous in Europe, raising concerns among campaigners who are advocating for changes in the law. They propose enhanced protection from redundancy for fathers from the moment they inform their employer of an impending child until the child reaches 18 months of age.
The Dad Shift, a campaign group focused on parental rights, estimates that roughly one in 60 new and expectant fathers in the UK faced redundancy, dismissal, or were forced to resign due to poor treatment in the year leading up to March 2024. This statistic translates to nearly 3,700 affected individuals. Despite the availability of statutory paternity leave, The Dad Shift's analysis reveals that it was used in fewer than 2% of all births last year.
Joeli Brearley, founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, expressed concern over these findings. She noted that conditions for new parents are deteriorating, not improving. Her charity's analysis from last month estimates that up to 74,000 women lose their jobs annually after becoming pregnant or during maternity leave—a figure that has surged by more than a third since 2016.
The government acknowledges these issues and is conducting a comprehensive review of parental leave policies. A government spokesperson stated that considerations are being made to establish paternity leave and unpaid parental leave as day one rights, allowing employees to qualify as soon as they commence a new job.
McEvoy highlighted the lack of protection that prevents some fathers from taking advantage of their entitled paternity leave. Her sentiments are echoed by George Gabriel, co-founder of The Dad Shift, who described the accounts he hears as "absolutely gut-wrenching."
Chris Stringer from Swansea shared his personal experience, underscoring the need for robust protections. He was made redundant six weeks before his son Chester was born in August last year and has since struggled to find full-time employment. Stringer explained how this unexpected job loss shattered his family's financial security and dashed their hopes of purchasing a home.
"I stayed awake at night crying because I was afraid of what was going to happen to my family."
— Chris Stringer
Stringer's partner recounted the emotional turmoil they faced during this challenging period.
"While we were at the hospital, he was responding to emails from the lawyers saying: 'We have just had a stillbirth.'"
"He didn't have time to process what had happened to us."
"The whole of our lives have been shaken up."
Another anonymous woman shared a similar story, revealing that her partner was made redundant when she was 36 weeks pregnant. These stories highlight the precarious situation many families find themselves in without adequate paternity leave protections.
In response to these challenges, Chris Stringer emphasized the importance of having a safety net during such critical times.
"If there was a safety net there to keep us afloat for even just a little bit longer, it would have made a huge difference."
The government spokesperson reiterated their commitment to supporting working families through policy reforms.
"We are making paternity leave and unpaid parental leave day one rights as part of our Employment Rights Bill, and are also carrying out a review of wider statutory parental leave to ensure it offers the best possible support to working families."
