At the end of June 2025, the University of Bath published a report that called for an overhaul of the UK’s Paternity Leave entitlement.
Currently, fathers are entitled to two weeks of Statutory Paternity Leave (SPL) which may be paid as Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) at £187.18 per week (or 90% of Average Weekly Earnings, whichever is lower). The report concluded that, because of this, women continue to shoulder most of the care burden after childbirth. ICB points out:
There is no mention of the fact that SPL and SPP are available in adoption cases; and
- There is only one mention of the fact that employment law is devolved to Northern Ireland where the SPL / SPP regime operates differently.
In summary, the report suggested that extending the paternity leave for fathers should be increased to six weeks and paid at 90% of Average Earnings. This would be available from day one of employment and has the potential to deliver net social benefits of up to £12.8 billion annually.
Note that this report is only a publication from the Policy Research section of the University and these types of reports are published frequently. It does not influence UK Government policy, though did receive media coverage.
On 01 July 2025 the UK Government issued a Press Release entitled ‘Landmark Review of Parental Leave Launched’. This promises that the review ‘will look at all types of leave – including maternity, paternity and shared parental leave – to make the system fairer and easier to use’.
ICB makes the following points:
- This review is not a surprise and ahead of the 2024 general Election, the Labour Party’s ‘Make Work Pay’ document said ‘we will conduct a review of parental leave within the first year of a Labour government’;
- The review makes references to the UK Government’s 2024 ‘Plan for Change’ document, though this does not make specific reference to reviewing parental leave. Instead, it says ‘We will support the lowest paid workers with job security and improved working conditions through our Plan to Make Work Pay’ – i.e. referencing the above document; however, importantly,
- For UK payroll professionals, this review by the UK Government on all types of parental leave involves looking at employment law. This is devolved to Northern Ireland. To imply this is a UK-wide review is incorrect and to maintain any UK consistency, the UK Government must work with the Northern Ireland Executive. Although, the 2024 Plan for Change document says that where the UK Government wants to legislate on issues that are devolved, ‘we will work in partnership to share best practice and align effort’
