PAternal Leave and Pay
Leave
You can choose to take either one or two weeks’ leave. You must take your leave in one go. You get the same amount of leave even if you have more than one child (for example, twins).
A week of leave is the same amount of days that you normally work in a week. For example, if you only work on Mondays and Tuesdays, then a week of leave is two days.
Your leave cannot start before the birth. It must end within 56 days of the birth (or due date, if the baby is early). The start and end date rules are different if you adopt.
You must give your employer 28 days’ notice if you want to change your start date.
You do not have to give a precise date when you want to take leave. Instead you can give a general time, such as the day of the birth or one week after the birth.
Pay
The statutory weekly rate of your paternity pay is either £172.48, or 90% of your average weekly earnings, depending on which is lower.
Any money you get is paid in the same way as your wages, for example monthly or weekly. Tax and National Insurance will be deducted.
Eligibility
You can choose to take either one or two weeks’ leave. You must take your leave in one go. You get the same amount of leave even if you have more than one child (for example, twins).
A week of leave is the same amount of days that you normally work in a week. For example, if you only work on Mondays and Tuesdays, then a week of leave is two days.
Your leave cannot start before the birth. It must end within 56 days of the birth (or due date, if the baby is early). The start and end date rules are different if you adopt.
You must give your employer 28 days’ notice if you want to change your start date.
You do not have to give a precise date when you want to take leave. Instead you can give a general time, such as the day of the birth or one week after the birth.
Pay
The statutory weekly rate of your paternity pay is either £172.48, or 90% of your average weekly earnings, depending on which is lower.
Any money you get is paid in the same way as your wages, for example monthly or weekly. Tax and National Insurance will be deducted.
Eligibility
- You are employed by your employer up to the date of the birth.
- You have been continuously employed by your employer for at least 26 weeks up to any day in the 15th week before the baby is due.
- You earn at least £125 per week before tax.
- You give your employer notice using this online form, at least 15 weeks before the baby is due.
This information has been developed by the Local Employability Partnership.