Cross-party MPs have declared the UK’s parental leave system “one of the worst in the developed world” in a damning new report. The Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) warns current UK paternity leave reform policies reinforce outdated gender roles and fail to support new fathers.
Since 2003, UK fathers have received just two weeks’ leave at £187.18/week – less than half the minimum wage. Self-employed workers and those earning under £123/week get nothing. By contrast, Spanish fathers receive 16 weeks at full pay, while Swedes share 480 paid days per family.
James Yeates, an NHS worker from Suffolk, described returning to work two weeks after his son’s birth as “horrible.” Despite employer top-ups, he said: “I felt like I was letting my partner and son down.” His story reflects widespread frustration fueling Wednesday’s historic “dad strike” protest in London.
Currently, fewer than 2% of families use shared leave, with 45% of fathers unaware it exists. The system allocates just 3% of parental leave funding to non-birthing parents.
While the government promises a mid-July review, critics argue UK paternity leave reform can’t wait. Kathy Jones of the Fatherhood Institute stressed: “Families shouldn’t have to wait until the next Parliament.”
Protest organizer George Gabriel condemned the status quo: “The pie is small and the crumbs left for dads are pitiful.” With HMRC data showing £3.3bn spent on maternity pay versus £69m on paternity in 2023/24, the disparity is stark.
As pressure mounts, the UK paternity leave reform debate highlights broader societal shifts. With young fathers increasingly rejecting “absent breadwinner” stereotypes, policymakers face growing demands to modernize support for working families.
The government maintains it’s “committed to supporting parents,” but with European nations leading the way, campaigners insist incremental changes won’t suffice. For families like James’, meaningful UK paternity leave reform can’t come soon enough.
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