Paternity leave
Workers are legally entitled to paid time off work, including paternity leave. This guide explains what paternity leave is and what paternity pay you're entitled to.
Paternity leave is a period of time of work for a father or a partner of a new parent, when a child is born or adopted, it’s designed to allow them to bond with the baby and support their partner.
Yes. If your partner is employed, they can take 1 or 2 weeks off to care for you or your baby from the first day of their job.
They must be either:
- the child’s father
- your partner (including same‑sex partners)
- adopting or using a surrogacy arrangement
If eligible, they can get up to 2 weeks’ Statutory Paternity Pay at whichever is lower of:
- 90% of their average weekly earnings
- £194.32 per week (as of April 2026)
Some employers offer more than this through company schemes.
To get statutory paternity pay, your partner must:
- earn at least £129 per week
- still be employed when the baby is born
- give notice in time