HR Glossary
Paternity Leave
What is Paternity Leave?
Paternity leave is statutory leave available to eligible employees in the UK when they become a parent. It allows fathers, partners, or the partner of a surrogate to take time off work to support their family following the birth or adoption of a child.
Paternity leave is designed to help parents balance work and family responsibilities during an important life event, while providing employers with a clear legal framework for managing time away from work.
How Paternity Leave Works in the UK
Eligible employees can take up to two weeks’ paternity leave. This leave must be taken in one block or as two consecutive weeks and must usually be taken within 56 days of the child’s birth or adoption placement.
During paternity leave, employees may be entitled to Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP), which is paid at the statutory rate or 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings (whichever is lower), provided eligibility criteria are met.
Who is Eligible for Paternity Leave?
To qualify for statutory paternity leave, an employee must:
- Be an employee (not a worker or contractor)
- Have at least 26 weeks’ continuous service by the qualifying week
- Be responsible for the child’s upbringing
- Be the child’s father, the mother’s partner, or the adopter’s partner
Employers may choose to offer enhanced paternity leave or pay as part of their family-friendly policies.
Paternity Leave and Shared Parental Leave
Paternity leave is separate from Shared Parental Leave (SPL). In some cases, employees may choose to take paternity leave first and then opt into shared parental leave if both parents are eligible and agree to share leave and pay.
Why Paternity Leave Matters
Supporting paternity leave helps employers promote equality, wellbeing and employee retention. Clear policies and consistent processes reduce confusion, support workforce planning, and help employees feel supported during major life changes.
For employees, paternity leave provides valuable time to bond with their child, support their partner, and adjust to new family responsibilities without immediate work pressures.
Employer Responsibilities
Employers must:
- Allow eligible employees to take statutory paternity leave
- Pay Statutory Paternity Pay where eligibility criteria are met
- Ensure employees are not treated unfairly or disadvantaged for taking leave
- Keep clear records of leave and pay
How GoodShape Supports Paternity Leave Management
GoodShape helps organisations manage paternity leave clearly and consistently as part of their wider absence and leave processes.
By providing a structured platform for recording leave, GoodShape ensures managers and HR teams have visibility of upcoming and ongoing paternity leave, helping with planning and compliance. Clear reporting supports fair decision-making and ensures employees are treated consistently across the organisation.
GoodShape also helps businesses link paternity leave data with wider absence insights, supporting better workforce planning and reducing administrative burden for managers.