London: The paternity leave provision for new fathers in the UK has been labeled as "one of the worst in the developed world" as per a new report released this week. The UK government acknowledges the necessity for improvements in the system and has vowed to reassess parental leave policies. This revelation prompts a comparison of the UK's situation with other European countries.
According to BBC News, the current rules in the UK permit new fathers and second parents in full-time employment to take up to two weeks off work. This applies to all partners, regardless of gender, following the birth, surrogacy, or adoption of a baby, but excludes self-employed individuals or dads earning less than £123 a week. Eligible fathers receive £187.18 per week or 90% of their average earnings, whichever is lower, which amounts to less than half of the National Living Wage.
Jamie, a resident of Ashford in Kent, expressed dissatisfaction, describing the statutory pay as "frankly pennies." In anticipation of their second child, Jamie and his partner began saving before his wife Zanele even became pregnant. His frustration with paternity pay led him to participate in the world's first "dad strike" earlier this week, where fathers gathered outside the government's Department for Business and Trade in Westminster to protest.
In contrast, Octavio, a computer engineer from Seville, Spain, shared a positive experience, having spent four months at home with his daughter Alicia. Spain's policies allow fathers like Octavio to take 16 weeks of paternity leave at full pay, a notable increase from the five weeks offered in 2019. Similarly, France has doubled its paternity leave to four weeks since September 2020, allowing fathers like Antoine, an architect near Paris, to support their families more effectively.
Denmark offers a more generous policy, with dads eligible for up to 24 weeks of leave at full pay. André, who moved to Denmark from Portugal, noted the active role of fathers in childcare, which differs from his experiences in England. Poland also provides two weeks at full pay, with an additional nine weeks of non-transferable parental leave available within the first year, paid at 70% of a full-time salary.
Sweden stands out with one of the most extensive policies, offering parents up to 480 days of shared leave, 90 days of which are reserved for each parent. This system has enabled Mattias from Stockholm to take significant time off to bond with his son.
In the UK, some companies offer enhanced paternity leave beyond the statutory minimum, but a 2023 study found that only 12% of fathers from low-income households had full access to employer-enhanced parental leave. The Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) report from this week criticized UK statutory pay as "completely out of kilter with the cost of living," recommending an increase in paternity pay and leave duration.
The Department for Business and Trade acknowledged the need for improvements and indicated plans to review maternity leave, paternity leave, and shared parental leave. Changes are also anticipated, which will eliminate the current requirement for fathers to be employed for 26 weeks to qualify for statutory paternity leave.