Men’s health centre

New paternity leave rights from today

3rd April 2011 - Men who become dads today have better paid paternity leave rights than they would have last week.

Though it is unlikely any men will have urged their partners to 'hold on' until today, new dads may have the right to take up to 26 weeks' additional paternity leave. That's on top of the entitlement to two weeks ordinary paternity leave.

One fatherhood expert tells us paternity leave can help dads forge a special bond with their children, have a happier relationship and even live longer.

Ordinary Statutory Paternity Pay

Some employers may have more generous arrangements, but Ordinary Statutory Paternity Pay is paid for up to two consecutive weeks at £128.73 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings, if that's less.

To qualify, you need to have been with your employer for around at least 26 weeks before the birth or adoption.

You also have to be either the biological father, mother's husband or partner (including same-sex relationships), the child's adopter, or the husband or partner (including same-sex relationships) of the child's adopter.

For you to qualify, you must be taking the time off to care for the child, and the child's mother or adopter must have been entitled to maternity leave or similar and have returned to work and stopped claiming any relevant pay.

New additional paternity leave

Additional Paternity Leave - at the same weekly rate - is for a maximum of 26 weeks. If your partner has returned to work, the leave can be taken between 20 weeks and one year after your child is born or adopted.

You have the right to take unpaid additional paternity leave if you meet the eligibility criteria for leave but not pay.

Career fears

A survey released last week by the comparison website uSwitch.com found that 41% of dads won't take advantage of the new paternity leave rights.

• 49% said it wouldn't be possible 'in their line of work'
• 26% said it could affect their career
• 16% were worried about losing their job

Overall though, 80% of men questioned welcomed the change, with 68% saying that the time they had off after the birth of a previous child wasn't long enough.

Rob Williams, Chief Executive of the think-tank the Fatherhood Institute says even the government estimates are low. "They estimated that it would probably result in between 10,000 and 20,000 dads using some or all of this additional leave," he says. "When you consider than about 250,000 dads would fit the eligibility criteria, that's not a massive impact."

He says another survey suggests a 50% take-up, "but that was a poll of just men and they didn't poll their partners to see whether they would agree to give up half of their maternity leave and give it to the dad."