UK begins landmark review of parental leave
The government has announced a full review of parental leave and pay to better support working families and help children get the best start in life.
The review will look at all types of leave – including maternity, paternity and shared parental leave – to make the system fairer and easier to use, it said in a statement on Tuesday (1 July).
The current system has been criticised for being too complicated and not always giving families the support they need. One in three dads don’t take paternity leave because they can’t afford to, and take-up of shared parental leave remains very low.
Research shows that better parental leave can help close the gender pay gap and boost the economy by billions of pounds. The review will gather views from parents, employers and experts across the country and will end with a roadmap for possible reforms.
“Those early years are the most special time for families, but too many struggle to balance their work and home lives,” said Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.
“Supporting working parents isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s vital for our economy. Through our Plan to Make Work Pay, we’re already improving the parental leave system with new day one rights. This ambitious review will leave no stone unturned as we deliver for working families,” she said.
Rachel Grocott (CEO of Pregnant then Screwed) noted that a review of the parental leave system was long overdue.
“After six weeks mothers are forced to survive maternity leave on 44% less than the National Minimum Wage, and dads are forced to suck up the same benefits for their two weeks,” she said.
“Yet we know improving parental leave helps children get the best start in life, as well as being better for parents’ health and equality at home, and closing gender pay and participation gaps in the workplace too. Investing in parental leave will pay back above and beyond, to the bottom line and to society: it really is a no-brainer.”
