UPDATE Upcoming changes to Paternity Leave and Pay (8th March 2024)

These changes will:

Allow fathers and partners to take their leave in non-consecutive blocks — currently, only one block of leave can be taken, which can be either 1 or 2 weeks, but the changes will remove this barrier by enabling fathers to take 2 non-consecutive weeks of leave

Allow fathers and partners to take their leave and pay at any point in the first year after the birth or adoption of their child — this gives fathers and partners more flexibility to take their Paternity Leave at a time that works for their family

Shorten the notice period that fathers and partners are required to give their employers for each period of leave — the new measure will require an employee to give only 4 weeks’ notice prior to each period of leave and this means that they can decide when to take their leave at shorter notice to accommodate the changing needs of their families.