Paternity Leave in the UK: Your Rights and How to Make the Most of It

Paternity leave in the UK is one of the most important but least discussed employee rights for new parents. Many fathers and partners who are eligible to take it do not fully understand their entitlements, miss the notice deadline, or take less leave than they are entitled to because they are unsure of the rules. This guide covers everything you need to know.

Who Is Entitled to Paternity Leave?

Statutory Paternity Leave (SPL) is available to:

• The biological father of a child
• The mother's husband or civil partner
• The mother's partner (including same-sex partners) who lives with the mother and baby
• Adoptive parents (the secondary adopter, where one parent is taking Adoption Leave)

To qualify, you must:

• Have been employed by the same employer continuously for at least 26 weeks by the end of the 15th week before the expected due date
• Be the biological father or the mother's husband, civil partner, or partner, and have responsibility for the child's upbringing
• Still be employed by the same employer when the baby is born

How Much Leave Can You Take?

Statutory Paternity Leave is either one or two consecutive weeks. You cannot take it as odd days; you must take it as one complete week or two complete consecutive weeks.

The leave can start:

• On the date of birth
• On a date you choose within 56 days of the birth (or the expected due date if the baby is born early)

You cannot split paternity leave into non-consecutive blocks under the statutory scheme. If your employer offers enhanced paternity leave (some do), the terms will depend on their policy.

Statutory Paternity Pay

Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) is paid at £187.18 per week (2025–26 rate, reviewed annually) or 90% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower.

For many fathers, this represents a significant reduction in income. If you are a higher earner, two weeks at SPP will feel noticeably different to your normal pay. This is worth planning for financially.

Enhanced paternity pay: Some employers offer paternity pay above the statutory minimum — full pay for some or all of the two weeks. Check your employment contract or staff handbook, and ask HR if it is not clear. Enhanced paternity pay is not a legal requirement, but it is increasingly common in larger employers and in certain sectors (public sector, professional services, and technology companies are among those most likely to offer it).

How to Give Notice

You must give your employer notice of your intention to take paternity leave and pay. The rules are:

• Notice deadline: Notice must be given by the end of the 15th week before the baby's expected due date (the same deadline as for maternity leave).
• What to tell your employer: The expected due date, whether you want one or two weeks, and when you want your leave to start (though you can change the start date later with 28 days' notice).
• Form SC3: The government's SC3 form (available on gov.uk) can be used to give formal notice, though many employers have their own form or process.

Giving notice on time is important. Missing the deadline does not necessarily mean you lose your entitlement, but it can complicate things. If the baby arrives early and you have not yet given notice, give it as soon as possible.

What Cannot Be Done During Paternity Leave

You cannot do any work for your employer during paternity leave. Unlike maternity leave, there are no "Keeping in Touch" (KIT) days available during statutory paternity leave. If your employer asks you to work, or you feel pressure to check emails or attend meetings, you are entitled to refuse.

Paternity Leave and Your Rights at Work

Taking paternity leave is a protected right. You cannot be treated less favourably for taking it, and it must not disadvantage you in relation to promotion, pay rises, or any other employment benefit.

If you face any detriment for taking paternity leave — including subtle pressure not to take the full two weeks — this is unlawful, and you can seek advice from Acas (0300 123 1100) or an employment solicitor.

How to Make the Most of the Two Weeks

Two weeks is simultaneously a long time (when you are running on no sleep) and a very short time (when you are trying to establish a new family). Here is how to approach it with intention.

Take both weeks: The second week is often more valuable than the first, as the immediate post-birth whirlwind settles and the reality of day-to-day newborn care becomes clearer. If you can afford it financially, take the full entitlement.

Take leave contiguously with the birth if possible: Being present from the very beginning — for the establishment of feeding, for the first GP check, for the small decisions that feel enormous — is invaluable. Starting your leave when the birth is imminent (or immediately after) makes the most of the time.

Manage practical matters early: Use the first few days to handle registrations (birth registration must happen within 42 days), family notification, and practical tasks, so that the remainder of the leave can focus on settling in as a family.

Learn the baby's cues together: Two parents learning to read their baby's hunger, tiredness, and discomfort cues at the same time leads to much better shared parenting going forward. This knowledge is harder to develop later.

Get confident with solo care: If you are returning to work after two weeks, practise looking after the baby alone during the leave period so that you are confident doing so. This also gives the birth parent some essential rest.

Do not spend the leave on the sofa watching television: You will feel more recovered and more confident if you get outside at least once a day, however briefly.

The Partner's Role in the Newborn Period

Beyond the practical tasks, the most important thing a partner can do in the newborn period is provide emotional support, reduce the cognitive load for the birth parent, and take on as much of the non-feeding care as possible.

This means: making the food, doing the washing, handling visitors, taking the baby for walks so the birth parent can sleep, and being present in the middle of the night even if you cannot feed. It also means being a witness — acknowledging how hard the work is, how brilliantly your partner is doing, and being genuinely engaged in the shared project of caring for this new person.

The research on partner support in the postnatal period consistently shows its significance for maternal mental health outcomes. It is not a peripheral contribution. It is central.