Overview
- The government laid statutory instruments in Parliament on 12 January to implement the Employment Rights Act’s parental provisions, with the rules due to take effect in April 2026.
- From April, unpaid parental leave will be available from the first day in a new job, widening eligibility to around 1.5 million parents, and an estimated 32,000 more fathers each year will be able to access paternity leave immediately.
- A new Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave will provide up to 52 weeks off for fathers and partners who lose their partner before their child’s first birthday.
- Ministers also plan changes to Statutory Sick Pay so up to 1.3 million additional lower-paid or part-time workers can receive SSP from day one, with the necessary regulations to be laid in the coming months.
- Trade unions and family-support groups welcomed the measures as vital protections, while Conservative politicians and some business voices warned of extra costs and regulatory burdens.