The Government has launched a full review of parental leave and pay, with the aim of better supporting working families and helping children to get the best start in life.
The Government says that the current system is complicated and does not always give families the support they need. One in three fathers cannot afford to take paternity leave, and take-up of shared parental leave remains very low.
The review will examine how to modernise parental leave to support families and help grow the economy. It will look at all types of parental leave – including maternity, paternity and shared parental leave – to make the system fairer and easier to use.
The review will gather views from parents, employers and experts across the country and will end with a roadmap for possible reforms.
Changes to parental leave are already included in the Employment Rights Bill. The Bill will:
- make paternity leave a ‘day one’ right;
- make unpaid parental leave a ‘day one’ right;
- enable paternity leave and pay to be taken after shared parental leave and pay;
- enhance dismissal protections for pregnant women and new mothers;
- strengthen the existing ‘day one’ right to request flexible working.