Paternity leave and pay: what changed in 2024 and 2026
Paternity leave and pay changed twice in quick succession, in 2024 and 2026, and it's easy to lose track of which rules apply to you. This guide sets out what changed.
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Work out your Statutory Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, or Shared Parental Pay week by week, based on your average weekly earnings.
Start →Paternity leave changed twice in quick succession, once in 2024 and again in 2026, and the two changes affect different parts of your entitlement. It’s worth knowing which is which.
How much leave you get
Paternity leave runs up to 2 weeks. Since 2024 you can split it into two separate one-week blocks rather than taking it as one continuous 2-week block, and you can take it any time within the 52 weeks after the birth or placement for adoption, not just the first 8 weeks as the rules used to require.
From 6 April 2026, paternity leave became a day-one right. You no longer need any minimum length of service to be entitled to take it, whatever your start date.
How much you’re paid
Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) is paid for up to 2 weeks, at whichever is lower: the government’s flat weekly rate, or 90% of your average weekly earningsThe average amount you earn per week, usually calculated over a reference period before your absence started. It's used to work out how much Statutory Sick Pay, maternity pay, or other statutory payme.... From 6 April 2026 that flat rate is £194.32 a week, the same rate as statutory maternity, adoption, and shared parental pay.
Notice you have to give your employer
Notice for paternity leave is currently 28 days before each block you want to take, a temporary reduction from the old rule requiring notice by the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth. Since 18 February 2026, this shorter notice periodThe period of time either party must give before ending the employment relationship. Your contract will usually set a notice period, but the law also provides a minimum statutory notice period based o... has applied even to employees using the new day-one right, so you can give notice of your first block from your first day of employment if you need to.
Taking paternity leave alongside shared parental leave
Before 2026, paternity leave had to come before any Shared Parental Leave (SPL), taking them in the wrong order meant losing the right to paternity leave altogether. That ordering rule has now been removed. You can take paternity leave and pay after a period of SPL as well as before it. See our guide on shared parental leave and pay if you’re weighing up how to split leave with your partner.
If you’re treated unfairly for taking paternity leave
Your employer can’t dismiss you, select you for redundancyA dismissal that occurs when your employer no longer needs the work you do, either because the business is closing, a workplace is closing, or the requirement for employees to carry out that kind of w..., or otherwise disadvantage you because you’ve taken or asked to take paternity leave. If you think this has happened to you, our guide on pregnancy and maternity discrimination covers the closely related legal tests that apply, even though it’s framed around maternity specifically.
If your paternity leave or pay doesn’t add up after checking all this, you can book a call to talk it through.
Frequently asked questions
How much paternity leave am I entitled to, and when can I take it?
Up to 2 weeks. Since 2024 you can split it into two separate one-week blocks and take it any time within 52 weeks after the birth or placement for adoption, rather than only in the first 8 weeks as the rules used to require.
Do I need a minimum length of service to take paternity leave?
Not for the leave itself. From 6 April 2026, paternity leave became a day-one right. Statutory Paternity Pay is a separate entitlement with its own unchanged qualifying rule though, so you can be entitled to take the leave from day one while still not qualifying for the pay if you haven't worked 26 weeks by the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth.
How much notice do I need to give for paternity leave?
28 days before each block you want to take. This shorter notice period has applied since 18 February 2026, even to employees using the new day-one right, so you can give notice from your first day of employment if you need to.
Can I take paternity leave after shared parental leave?
Yes, since 2026. Before that, paternity leave had to come before any Shared Parental Leave or you'd lose the right to it altogether. That ordering rule has now been removed.