Paternity leave and pay in the UK

Who can take paternity leave

You must be taking time off to look after the child and be one of:

• the father;
• the husband or partner of the mother (or adopter), including same-sex partners;
• the child's adopter;
• the intended parent, if you are having a baby through a surrogacy arrangement.

Paternity Leave

• Up to 2 weeks, taken together or as two separate one-week blocks.
• Twins or triplets do not change the total: still 2 weeks.
• A week means the number of days you normally work: if you work Monday and Tuesday only, a week of leave is 2 days.
• Timing: it cannot start before the birth, and it must end within 52 weeks of the birth (or of the due date if the baby is early).
• Eligibility: you must be an employee and give the correct notice. GOV.UK states you are eligible for Paternity Leave from the first day of employment.

Statutory Paternity Pay, as of October 2026

£194.32 a week, or 90% of your average weekly earnings if that is lower, paid like your wages with tax and National Insurance deducted. To qualify you must:

• be employed by your employer up to the date of birth;
• earn on average at least £129 a week before tax;
• have been continuously employed by them for at least 26 weeks up to any day in the qualifying week, the 15th week before the baby is due;
• give the correct notice.

If you do not qualify, your employer must tell you why within 28 days using form SPP1. A company paternity scheme can pay more, never less.

Notice: two dates to remember

1. At least 15 weeks before the due date, tell your employer the due date. GOV.UK provides an online form (previously form SC3), which you download or print and give to your employer, unless your employer has its own.
2. At least 28 days before you want the leave to start, tell your employer the start date and whether you want 1 or 2 weeks. You can give a general time, such as "the day of the birth" or "one week after".

You do not need to give proof of the pregnancy or birth. To change your start date, give 28 days' notice. GOV.UK has a paternity planner to work out your dates.

Antenatal appointments

Before the birth, the father, the mother's spouse or civil partner, her long-term partner, or an intended parent can take unpaid time off to attend 2 antenatal appointments, up to 6 and a half hours each. Permanent employees can do this straight away; agency workers after 12 weeks in the job.

If the baby is lost

Paternity Leave and Pay still apply if your baby is stillborn from 24 weeks of pregnancy or born alive at any point. Leave you have already booked can be taken; leave still to book must be booked within 8 weeks of the death. You may also be entitled to Statutory Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay.

After the 2 weeks

• Shared Parental Leave lets you take more weeks from the mother's maternity leave, in up to 3 blocks, before or after paternity leave.
• Unpaid Parental Leave: up to 18 weeks per child until their 18th birthday.
• Neonatal Care Leave: up to 12 extra weeks if your baby spends 7 days or more in neonatal care (babies born from 6 April 2025).

Questions parents ask

Sources

1. GOV.UK — Paternity pay and leave: leave checked October 13, 2026
2. GOV.UK — Paternity pay and leave: pay checked October 13, 2026
3. GOV.UK — Paternity pay and leave: eligibility checked October 13, 2026
4. GOV.UK — Paternity pay and leave: how to claim checked October 13, 2026

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