Ministers have initiated a review of parental leave and pay, considering making paternity leave and unpaid parental leave available from day one. The current system is viewed as ineffective for young families. The review will include maternity and shared parental leave assessments, which allows couples to share up to 50 weeks of leave. The aim is to simplify the process for parents and businesses while enhancing overall support. Campaigners advocate that improved paternity leave would contribute to reducing the gender pay gap by facilitating shared childcare responsibilities within families.
Maternity leave is paid at 90% of a mother's average weekly earnings for the first six weeks, then for the next 33 weeks, whichever is lower of that 90% figure or 187.18 a week.
New fathers can take two weeks' paid leave at a rate of either 187.18 a week or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lowest.
The arrival of a child, whether through birth or adoption, is a life-changing moment, the business secretary said.
Demonstrators said better paternity leave would help close the gender pay gap by helping families share childcare.
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