Paternity leave advice

So long as you’ve been working for your current employer for 26 continuous weeks, 15 weeks before your baby is due, you’ll be entitled to paternity leave. You will also need to be the biological father, mother’s husband or partner, and intend to be involved in bringing up your child.

Working out the best option¹

There are two different types of Paternity Leave – spend some time discussing with your partner which option will be best for both of you.

• One or two weeks of paid Paternity Leave
• Shared Parental Leave

Paternity Leave

If you opt to take paid Paternity Leave, you’ll need to take it all in one go, and it must be completed within 56 days of the birth. If you want to change the dates of your Paternity Leave, that’s fine; you just need to give your employer 28 days’ notice if that’s possible.

Shared Parental Leave

Shared Parental Leave lets you share leave with your partner. You can take it in blocks separated by periods of work, but your partner must:

• End her maternity leave for Shared Parental Leave

Or

• End her Maternity Allowance or pay for Statutory Shared Paternity Pay

The eligibility criteria are more complex than that of Paternity Leave – you can find them here or speak to your employer about your options.

When arranging your Paternity or Shared Parental Leave, be sure to give your employer as much notice as possible. Ideally, this would mean letting them know when your partner is around 25 weeks pregnant. Of course, you can’t be sure when your baby is going to arrive, but you may find your employer will be flexible with dates.

Last reviewed: 5th February 2021