Paternity leave, neonatal care leave and pay

Most agency and contract workers aren’t eligible. 

Find out what your employment status is, so you know the rights you’re entitled to in our guide Different kinds of employment status.

Your paternity leave is in addition to your normal holiday allowance. 

Your paternity leave cannot start before the birth. It must end within 52 weeks of the birth (or due date, if the baby is early). The start and end dates rules are different if you adopt. 

Paternity leave can start on: 

• the date of placement 
• the child’s arrival in the UK (if adopting from overseas) 
• the date of birth (or the day after if you’re working) 
• a chosen date after birth or placement. 

You must give your employer 28 days’ notice to change the start date. 

Statutory Paternity Leave is paid – this is called Statutory Paternity Pay.

Check if you can get Paternity Leave or PayOpens in a new window using this tool on GOV.UK.

To qualify for Statutory Paternity Leave you must be the:

• child’s biological father
• child’s adopter or intended parent (if using a surrogate)
• child’s mother’s husband or partner (including same-sex partners).

You must also have been working for your employer for at least 26 continuous weeks by either:

• The end of the 15th week before the week of the due date or as soon as you possibly can.
• The end of the week that you are told you’ve been matched with your child for adoption (for UK adoptions). See GOV.UK for more details on adoptions within the UK and from overseasOpens in a new window

You can get Statutory Paternity Pay for up to two weeks in a row, depending on how much paternity leave you take. 

You must give your employer enough notice. Let them know in writing at least 15 weeks before the baby is due. 

Find out more about paternity leave in Northern IrelandOpens in a new window on nidirect.

If you’re a working parent and your baby needs neonatal care after birth, you might be able to get additional paid leave, on top of any other leave you’re already entitled to, like maternity or paternity leave. Neonatal Care Leave is only available in England, Scotland and Wales. 

To qualify for Neonatal Care Leave, you need to meet these requirements: 

• You must be an employee. 

• Your baby must be born on or after 6 April 2025.

• At the time of your baby’s birth, you must be one of the following: the baby’s parent, intended parent (in the case of surrogacy), or the partner of the baby’s mother. You must also have or expect to have responsibility for raising the child. Similar rules apply if you are adopting. 

• Your baby must be admitted to neonatal care within 28 days of birth and must stay in neonatal care for at least seven continuous days. This seven-day period starts the day after your baby first receives neonatal care. 

• Neonatal Care Leave must be used to care for your baby. 

• The leave must be taken in blocks of a week. 

Find out more about neonatal leave and pay on Working FamiliesOpens in a new window

New parents who qualify in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland now have the option to use Shared Parental Leave.

Shared Parental Leave allows you to share up to 50 weeks’ parental leave and 37 weeks’ pay with your partner.

As long as your employer agrees, you can even take the leave in up to three separate blocks instead of taking it all in one go.

This allows you to switch arrangements if you need to.

You can also work up to 20 shared parental leave in touch, known as SPLIT days, without ending your shared parental leave or pay. 

SPLIT days are like keeping in touch KIT days during maternity leave. 

For more details on working during shared parental leaveOpens in a new window see Maternity Action.

The rate of Statutory Paternity Pay and Statutory Shared Parental Pay is the lowest of:

• £187.18 a week
• 90% of your average weekly earnings.

It’s paid by your employer who will deduct tax and National Insurance contributions before paying it to you.

To qualify for Statutory Paternity Pay, you must have worked for your employer for at least 26 continuous weeks before:

• the 15th week before the baby is due
• the end of the week the adoption agency matched you with a child.

You also must be earning at least £125 a week before tax and continue to work for your employer until the child is born (or placed with you).

To claim Statutory Paternity Leave and Pay, you must tell your employer that you’re going on paternity leave and requesting paternity pay at least 15 weeks before your baby’s due date.

If you’re adopting, you must tell them:

• 28 days before you want your paternity pay to start, or
• within seven days of being told by the adoption agency that you’ve been matched with a child for paternity leave.

You must tell your employer if you want to start Shared Parental Leave or Pay.

Your partner must apply to their own employer.

You must give your employer notice in writing if you want to start Shared Parental Leave or Pay.

Notice can be given at the same time if you qualify for both.

If you change your mind about dates or how much Leave and Pay you plant to take, you must give at least eight weeks’ notice before the start of any leave.

If you’re an employee on maternity or adoption leave, you’re entitled to 18 months of protection from redundancy. You are protected from the date of your expected birth or date of adoption.

If you’re taking six weeks of continuous shared parental leave, you’re also protected for 18 months from redundancy. Find out what the law says about Pregnancy and maternity discriminationOpens in a new window on Acas.

You can take unpaid time off to go to two antenatal appointments if you’re: 

• the baby’s father 
• the spouse or civil partner 
• in a long-term relationship 
• an intended parent in a surrogacy arrangement. 

You can take up to 6.5 hours per appointment. Your employer may allow more. 

If you’re a permanent employee, you can take this leave straight away.  

Agency workers must have been in the job for 12 weeks to qualify.