Paternity Leave and Pay Policy Writers

What are Paternity Leave and Pay Policies?

Paternity leave and pay policies outline the entitlements and procedures for employees who wish to take time off following the birth or adoption of a child.

These HR policies ensure that paternity leave is managed fairly, consistently and in line with UK employment law, supporting parents and helping businesses remain compliant.

From 6 April 2026, paternity leave is a day-one right (the 26-week qualifying period is removed), unpaid parental leave is also a day-one right, and a new bereaved partner's paternity leave of up to 52 weeks takes effect. See our day-one family leave April 2026 employer guide.

What Do Paternity Leave and Pay Policies Cover?

A paternity leave policy typically includes:

Eligibility criteria for statutory paternity leave
Notification requirements and deadlines
Length and timing of leave (usually one or two weeks)
Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) and any enhanced pay arrangements
Rights during leave and protection from unfair treatment
Processes for adoption-related paternity leave
Links to shared parental leave and other family policies

A clear policy helps ensure that employees know how and when to apply for paternity leave, and gives managers the guidance they need to respond appropriately and lawfully.

It also reinforces the organisation’s commitment to supporting working parents and promoting gender equality in family responsibilities.

Well-structured paternity leave policies can improve staff retention, foster a supportive culture, and contribute to a more inclusive working environment where all parents feel valued and empowered to take part in early childcare.

Legal Basis

The framework is set by the Employment Rights Act 1996 and the Paternity and Adoption Leave Regulations 2002, with major updates from the Paternity Leave (Amendment) Regulations 2024 which came into force on 8 March 2024.

Eligible employees can now take their two weeks of paternity leave as either one block or two separate one-week blocks, at any point in the first 52 weeks after the child's birth (extended from 56 days).

Notice requirements were also reduced from 15 weeks before the expected week of childbirth to 28 days before each period of leave.

The Paternity Leave (Bereavement) Act 2024 introduced a day-one right to paternity leave for employees who lose the mother of their child, removing the previous 26-week service qualification in those circumstances.

Statutory Paternity Pay continues at the SPP rate or 90% of average weekly earnings (whichever is lower).

Common Compliance Pitfalls

Single-block-only policies. Many employer policies still require leave in a single two-week block, this is more restrictive than statute and risks employee complaint.
Old eligibility criteria. Pre-2024 wording still appears in many policies, blocking employees from taking leave between 56 days and 52 weeks.
Notice requirements stuck at 15 weeks. Statute now requires only 28 days' notice for each period.
Bereavement provisions missing. Most pre-2024 paternity policies make no provision for the day-one right introduced in 2024.
Adoption and surrogacy not covered. Paternity rights extend to adopters, intended parents in surrogacy and same-sex couples; policies often default to "father" and exclude lawful claimants.

Sector-Specific Considerations

Public sector and large employers: Enhanced contractual paternity pay (typically 2 weeks at full pay) is common; policies should distinguish enhanced provisions clearly from statutory minimums.

Shift-based and operational sectors: The flexibility of split blocks creates rota-planning complexity that should be addressed in the procedure, not only the policy.

SMEs: Small Employers' Relief allows recovery of 103% of SPP through HMRC.

What Policy Pros Delivers

Our Paternity Leave and Pay package includes the main policy aligned to the 2024 amendments, a notice and request form, a manager process map covering split-block scheduling, a bereavement-leave addendum, and a same-sex and adoption-aware drafting suite.

The policy integrates with maternity, shared parental, adoption and bereavement leave policies.