Parental Leave & Pay to finally be reviewed by UK Gov

The UK government has launched a landmark 18-month review of the parental leave and pay system. The review will cover statutory maternity, paternity and shared parental leave — which have remained largely unchanged for years and are considered among the least generous in Europe.

Key points:

• Maternity Leave: Up to 52 weeks off, with 39 weeks of statutory pay. Only the first 6 weeks are paid at 90% of earnings; the remaining weeks drop to a flat rate of £187.18 or 90% of average weekly earnings (whichever is lower).

• Paternity Leave: Just 2 weeks at the same low statutory rate. Self-employed parents and those earning under £125/week are excluded.

• Shared Parental Leave: Introduced in 2014, but uptake remains very low due to complexity and low pay.

• Campaigners like The Dad Shift and Pregnant Then Screwed have welcomed the review, calling it a long overdue opportunity to close the gender pay gap and create a system that works for modern families.

• Critics warn that without proper investment, bold reforms may be difficult. Some in opposition have also raised concerns about burdening businesses.

Government ministers acknowledged that the current system is confusing, outdated and fails to reflect how families live and work today — particularly with one in three dads not taking any paternity leave, largely due to affordability.

As someone deeply embedded in supporting working parents and employers through pregnancy and parental leave, I believe this review is long overdue — and absolutely essential.

The current system:

• Penalises secondary carers (often dads) and reinforces outdated gender roles.

• Leaves many self-employed parents and lower earners excluded altogether.

• Is inflexible, confusing, and deeply misaligned with how families actually work today.

📉 It’s no wonder take-up of shared parental leave is so low.

💸 It’s no wonder a third of dads take no leave at all.

⚖️ And it’s no wonder the gender pay gap persists.

This review is a vital opportunity to create a system that is simple, supportive, and truly equitable — one that works for all parents, regardless of gender, income, or employment type. But that will only happen if:

• Reforms are backed by real investment.

• Policymakers centre the lived experiences of modern working families.

• Businesses are supported, not penalised, so that progressive leave policies are seen as part of a stronger, more inclusive workforce — not a cost to be avoided.

Modern families deserve more than a token gesture. They deserve time, security and choice.