Paternity leave take-up at 10 year low
Take-up of paternity leave has hit a 10 year low, with only around a quarter of eligible fathers (27%) using it, according to law firm EMW.
Just 176,000 men took paternity leave in 2020-21, compared to 652,000 women who took maternity leave over the same period, it reports.
According to its research, after an increase in the mid-2000s, the number of men using their right to paternity leave has stalled and, in recent years, dropped from a peak of 221,000 in 2016/17.
The company believes the decline is likely to be explained by the low rate of Statutory Paternity Pay, which is just £152 per week – especially during the coronavirus pandemic, with its associated financial pressures.
EMW points out that taking paternity leave allows fathers to bond with their new children and allows families to spread the childcare burden more equally between parents in the weeks following birth.
It says that the policy of shared parental leave is not working as it should, and that, if the government is aiming to increase the use of paternity leave, then bringing the level of pay closer to the National Minimum Wage would be a good first step.