Research by Pregnant Than Screwed found that three in five (63.7%) fathers took two weeks or fewer in paternity leave following the birth of their most recent child.
Data collected by the campaign group, in partnership with Women In Data, found that 70.6% of fathers who only used part of their leave entitlement said it was because they couldn’t afford to stay off any longer.
Pregnant Then Screwed surveyed 35,800 parents, and Women In Data then extracted a nationally representative sample of 5,870 parents to create a 2024 State of the Nation report.
The research looked at paternity leave uptake in the UK and the barriers that dads are facing in accessing enhanced paternity leave and being able to afford to take their full entitlement.
Changes to paternity leave law come into effect today. The Paternity Leave Amendment Regulations 2024 enable dads and partners to children born or adopted after the 6 April to split the leave into two one-week blocks instead of having to take it in one two-week block.
However, the legislative changes face heavy criticism from campaigning groups for not addressing the overall low rate of statutory paternity pay or increasing the overall length of time dads and partners can spend with their new arrival.
Pregnant Then Screwed is calling for the leave to be increased to six weeks paid at 90% of salary.
UK has least generous entitlement in Europe
When looking at the use of enhanced paternity leave through employer benefit schemes, the study found that less than a third (29%) of fathers could access enhanced paternity pay around the birth of their most recent child. This dropped to one in five for fathers in households with a household income under £60,000.
Pregnant Then Screwed said that “accessing enhanced leave and being able to take this leave are two very different things”. It found that half (48.3%) of fathers who had access to enhanced paternity pay were still only able to take two weeks or fewer of leave.
The UK has the least generous paternity leave entitlement in Europe. Currently, the statutory entitlement to paternity leave is two weeks, and the weekly rate for paternity pay is £172.48 per week or 90% of your salary (whichever is lower).
Joeli Brearley, CEO and founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, said: “Paternity leave isn’t a break from work, it isn’t a holiday – it is crucial bonding time. We know that the leave has huge benefits for the whole family: children do better in the education system, and there is research to suggest they have better physical health.
“Paternity leave reduces the divorce rate – couples are more likely to stay together. It has benefits for the physical and mental health of mothers, and we know that many dads are desperate to spend more time with their children. When fathers and partners take leave, it supports the mother’s return to the labour market. We need a parental leave system that recognises and supports the crucial role dads play in families.”
Just 32.3% of fathers who took two weeks or fewer of leave said they were ready to return to work physically after their leave, 14% said they were ready to return mentally and 12.8% said they were ready to return emotionally.
Brearley added: “We know what works because there is plenty of evidence from other countries who are leading the way. Paternity leave needs to be ring-fenced and paid at a rate where families can afford to take it. That is why we are calling for six weeks of the leave, paid at 90% of salary.’’
