Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave

From 6 April 2026, employees are eligible to give notice to take Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave from their first day of employment.

Key changes

  • Employees can give notice of Paternity Leave from their first day of employment.
  • Employees can give notice of Unpaid Parental Leave from their first day of employment.
  • Fathers and partners can now take Paternity Leave and Pay after Shared Parental Leave and Pay (previously this was not allowed).
  • Continuity of service requirements for Paternity Pay remains unchanged.

Transitional arrangements for Paternity Leave

For newly eligible birth parents with a baby due before 26 July 2026, the notice period is temporarily reduced to 28 days.

Standard notice requirements apply for those whose child is due on or after 26 July 2026. Employees should inform their employer of their intent to take Paternity Leave 15 weeks before the Expected Week of Childbirth, and 28 days before they want the leave to start.

Standard notice requirements for adopters and birth parents who qualified before 6 April remain unchanged.

Actions to take

  • Check your Paternity Leave and Parental Leave policies to reflect day-one eligibility.
  • Make sure your employee handbook and any template documents are updated.
  • Ensure line managers are implementing the new entitlements.
  • Ensure your HR systems can process leave requests from new starters.
  • Communicate the changes to your workforce.

Where these changes apply

The changes to Paternity Leave, Unpaid Parental Leave, and Shared Parental Leave apply across England, Scotland and Wales. They do not apply in Northern Ireland, where legislation relating to Parental Leave and Pay law is devolved.

More information

For more information:

Acas also provide the following resources:

Explainer video: changes to parental leave

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