In a significant move to support working parents, Parent’s Leave has been extended to 9 weeks from 1st August 2024. The extension marks another step towards better supporting working families, offering parents more time to bond with their newborn or newly adopted child.
The state financially supports Parent’s Leave through Parent’s Benefit rather than being directly funded by employers.
Who qualifies?
- A parent of the child;
- A spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of the parent of the child;
- A parent of a donor-conceived child as provided for under section 5 of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015;
- The adoptive parent or parents of a child;
- The spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of the adopting parent of the child (if the parents have not adopted jointly);
- Each member of a married couple of the same sex, a couple that are civil partners of each other, or a cohabiting couple of the same sex where the child is adopted jointly.
Parents can take the 9 weeks within 104 weeks (2 years) of the birth of the child, or in the case of adoption, from the child’s placement date. The increase will also apply retrospectively to parents who have taken 7 weeks before August 2024 if their child has not reached the age of 2 when the leave is taken.
Parents must apply for Parental Leave at least six weeks in advance of commencement.
How does Parent’s Leave and Parental Leave differ?
It's important to note that Parent’s Leave, which is paid, should not be confused with Parental Leave, which is unpaid. Parents and guardians of children under 12 or up to 16 for a child with a disability are entitled to take unpaid Parental Leave of up to 26 weeks (for each eligible child) to spend time looking after their child(ren).
What Action is Required?
Employers should prepare for these changes by updating their policies and communicating the new entitlements to their employees.
For existing users of HR Duo, an updated policy can be found in the Information & Guidance section of the platform, alternatively please raise a ticket to request a model policy which can be amended to reflect your practices.
