Paternity Leave in UK One of Worst in Developed World, Committee Finds

The report also found that the UK’s rate of statutory paternal pay is ‘completely out of kilter with the cost of living’ and has not kept pace with inflation.

File photo of a baby playing with toys at home in Northamptonshire, England, on Aug. 4, 2023. Joe Giddens/PA Wire

The UK has “one of the worst leave offers in the developed world for fathers,” according to a report by the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC).

The WEC report into paternity and shared parental leave published on Tuesday added that the maximum of two weeks’ leave for fathers is “completely out of step with how most couples want to share their parenting responsibilities” and “entrenches outdated gender stereotypes about caring.”

It also found that the UK’s rate of statutory paternal pay is “completely out of kilter with the cost of living” and has not kept pace with inflation.

WEC Chairwoman and Labour MP Sarah Owen said, “The UK’s parental leave system has fallen far behind most comparable countries, and we now have one of the worst statutory leave offers for fathers and other parents in the developed world.”

She said the system is “in urgent need of an overhaul to fit with the reality of working parents’ lives,” and that reform must start with longer and better paid paternity leave.

The report came ahead of the government’s review of paternal leave entitlement and as the Employment Rights Bill moves through the House of Lords.

International Comparisons

The committee examined evidence from other models for parental leave around the world, finding that Nordic countries in particular have far more generous paternal leave terms.

Norway, for example, introduced four weeks of non-transferable leave and pay for fathers in 1993. Today, parental leave for mothers and fathers is paid at 100 percent of earnings for 46 weeks, or 56 weeks at 80 percent, both with an upper cap.

Spain has transformed its system in recent years after starting in a similar place as the UK. The country introduced 13 days of paid paternity in 2007, and between 2017 and 2021, gradually increased this to 16 weeks, equal to maternity leave and paid at 100 percent of earnings.

Spain also made six weeks of that leave compulsory for mothers and fathers. The WEC said they heard from experts who recommended that the UK should similarly consider making a period of paternity leave compulsory, “as a way of shifting the culture and challenging gendered stereotypes around family responsibilities.”

Day 1 Paternity Leave Rights

The WEC has called on the government to draw on lessons from Spain’s reform of paternal leave, and incrementally increase the period of paid leave for fathers to six weeks over the course of this Parliament.

The committee also urged ministers to remove the requirement that men must be employed for at least 26 weeks before being entitled to paternity leave, saying it should be available from the first day of employment.

Commuters on London Bridge on Jan. 22, 2024. Victoria Jones/PA Wire

Lack of paternal leave provision for self-employed fathers was also deemed “deeply unfair,” with MPs calling for the introduction of a paternity allowance, similar to maternity allowance for self-employed mothers.

The report also highlighted the flaws of Shared Parental Leave (SPL), which allows for parents to share up to 50 weeks of leave, so one or both parents can decide when to take leave in a more flexible way.

The committee said SPL was “extremely difficult for most parents and their employers to understand,” and called for it to be simplified and made more financially attractive to boost uptake.

Reform Needed

The WEC chairwoman said, “It’s essential the Government’s proposed review addresses the system’s fundamental failings, including low statutory pay, inadequate leave periods for fathers and others, exclusion of many working parents and guardians, plus design flaws and unnecessary complexity in the Shared Parental Leave scheme.”

Owen called on ministers to commit to meaningful reforms in the medium term, “with a view to going further towards a more gender equal parental leave system.”

She said: “Tinkering around the edges of a broken system will let down working parents. While much-needed substantial change to our paid parental leave system will require considerable financial investment, this would be outweighed by wider societal and economic benefits.”

Responding to the recommendations of the report, a government spokesperson told The Epoch Times: “This government is committed to making sure parents receive the best possible support to balance their work and home lives as part of our Plan to Make Work Pay.

“We know the parental leave system needs to be improved and will be carrying out a review to ensure it best supports working families, and through our Employment Rights Bill we will remove the 26-week continuity of service requirement for paternity leave.”

The government said that as part of its review, it will consider all current parental leave entitlements, including paternity leave and pay and the length of leave available to fathers.