Paternity Pay & Protected Leave (PAPA)

Every child deserves the best possible start in life. A strong foundation in the early years is crucial. This is why parental leave is so important, not just for parents’ time with their newborn, but also giving every family the support they need to build a strong start for a child to thrive, regardless of their background or circumstances.

My Liberal Democrat parliamentary colleagues and I are committed to overhauling parental leave in this country. Parents must have choice and flexibility in how they manage the early months of their child’s life. That’s why, in our manifesto, we pledged to:

• Increase paternity pay to 90% of earnings, ensuring that fathers are not financially penalised for taking time to care for their newborn.
• Introduce a “use-it-or-lose-it dad month”, encouraging fathers to take paternity leave. This would not only support fathers to spend time with their children but also help mothers stay in the workforce, knowing that they too are supported.
• Raise statutory maternity and paternity pay so that families are given a genuine choice. At present, the low levels of statutory pay make it difficult for parents to take the time they need without financial strain. The UK’s current two-week statutory paternity leave lags behind many other developed nations.

In addition to this, we tabled several amendments in an attempt to strengthen the Employment Rights Bill to provide better rights and protections for parents:

• New Clause (NC)12: For improved rates for Statutory Maternity Pay, Statutory Paternity Pay, Statutory Adoption Pay, Statutory Shared Parental Pay, and Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay.
• NC13: Companies with over 250 employees are to publish clear, transparent information about their parental leave and pay policies.
• NC14: To guarantee entitlement to paternity leave.

Though the government voted these amendments down, we are determined to continue pushing for these crucial changes.

Too many fathers are currently excluded from accessing paternity pay. Around a quarter of fathers, especially those who are self-employed or have not been with their employer for long enough, are currently left without support. This is unfair and must change.

My Liberal Democrat parliamentary colleagues and I will continue to campaign to ensure that all parents – regardless of their employment situation – are provided a fair and supportive start to their family life.