Giving parents greater choice in how they share paternity leave

Liberal Democrats in government are proud to have introduced shared parental leave, giving parents greater freedom to decide how to care for their newborn.

From April, parents will be able to share up to 50 weeks of leave and 37 weeks of pay, on top of an initial two weeks each.

This means couples will have the flexibility to decide whether the mother or father will be the primary carer and to share the role as best suited to each family.

Support will be available to families if the mother decides to return to work earlier and the father chooses to stay at home with the baby.

If both parents want to share leave and take it simultaneously, that too will be possible. And if parents want to take turns and share paternity leave that way, they will also be free to do so.

Liberal Democrats are also proposing, in future, a more generous extension to a 'Daddy month' worth of paternity leave after a child's birth on a "use it or lose it" basis to help incentivise take up from fathers.