A recent report by the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) has highlighted significant shortcomings in the UK’s statutory parental leave system, labeling it as “one of the worst in the developed world.” The report identifies important weaknesses in the prevailing regulatory structure. It highlights how new fathers and second parents get only two weeks of leave. On top of that, your time off is much more limited than in other countries. In many other countries, including Spain and France, new fathers have access to parental leave that is considerably longer and fully paid.
Further reinforcing this point, NHS employee James Yeates spoke about his own experience with paternity leave, which he said was difficult emotionally. After his son Luca was born, Yeates found himself back at work just two weeks later. He expressed his frustration, stating, “There would be times when my partner was struggling and I’d have to leave to go to work. I felt like I was failing her and failing my son, too.” His employer decided to top up his statutory paternity pay to 100% of his regular salary. Not every father gets to enjoy this priceless benefit.
Under the current UK system, eligible fathers can receive either £187.18 per week or 90% of their average earnings, whichever amount is lower. Moreover, self-employed workers or those making under £123 a week are excluded from claiming statutory paternity leave. This limitation only serves to highlight the inequities that already exist within the system.
The WEC report indicates that paternity leave rules perpetuate outdated gender stereotypes, suggesting that the government should consider increasing paternity leave to six weeks and enhancing pay to 90% or more. Comparatively, countries such as Sweden and France offer more extensive support for fathers. In Sweden, families are entitled to 480 days of paid parental leave, with 90 days specifically reserved for fathers. Just last month, France passed regulations that will let working fathers take up to 28 days off after the birth of a child—paid at 100 percent.
Kathy Jones, chief executive of the Fatherhood Institute, directly urged reform, saying the reform was “long overdue”. She stated, “Families shouldn’t have to wait until the next Parliament for this to come in.”
The report highlights that in the fiscal year 2023/24, £69 million was spent on paternity pay and £34.4 million on statutory shared parental pay in the UK. New research indicates that only 3% of the funds allocated for parental leave directly support fathers and non-birthing parents. George Gabriel, another advocate for parental rights, remarked on the disparity, saying, “The pie is small and the crumbs left for dads and non-birthing parents are honestly pretty pitiful.”
In response to the report’s findings, a government spokesperson stated that “this government is committed to making sure parents receive the best possible support to balance their work and home lives.” They welcomed the news that a review due to be completed by the middle of July would look at all existing parental leave entitlements. Additionally, the government is working on ensuring that fathers will no longer need to be employed for 26 weeks before qualifying for paternity leave.
