Help For New Parents: Labour Reveals Plans To Double Paid Paternity Leave

At the moment, dads can take two weeks paid paternity leave – but this could all change should a Labour government come into place.

Ed Miliband has revealed plans to double the length of time new fathers can have off work after the birth of their child – taking it up to four weeks. That's a whole lot more nappy changing, bedtime routines and feeding schedules they could lend a hand with.

But that’s not all. The Labour party leader has also promised to boost statutory paternity pay from £120 to £260 a week, which savings in tax credits will pay for.

Up until now, every working dad has been permitted to have a fortnight off work to spend time with his newborn baby – providing that he's been at his current job for a set amount of time.

But despite this option of time off, the Labour party has calculated that only around half of fathers take the entire two weeks off.

Ed Miliband calls this “outdated” and thinks that his scheme, should it come into place, would help 400,000 families give their baby the “best start in life they can.”

“At the same time as women are under pressure in their careers, more fathers want to play a hands-on role in childcare, particularly in those first crucial weeks of a child's life,” Mr Miliband is set to say in a speech today, 9 February.

“Thanks to the last Labour government, fathers have two weeks' paid paternity leave. Millions of families have benefited with parents saying this has helped them support each other, share caring responsibilities and bond with their children.

“But the money isn't great and too many dads don't take up their rights because they feel they have to go back so they can provide for their family.”

Shared Parental Leave
Labour’s paternity leave scheme comes just as the launch of Nick Clegg’s new law for shared parental leave approaches.

The Liberal Democrat-led law will come into effect in early April, allowing dads to take up to 50 weeks of paternity leave.

The Lib Dems are also proposing a month’s worth of leave for fathers after a baby’s birth on a “use it or lose it” basis.

[Parental Leave: Most Men Think Childcare SHOULD Be Shared Between Parents]

[Maternity Leave Putting A Financial Strain On Families – Leaving Them £537 Short Each Month]

If you were offered a month paid paternity leave, would you take it? Let us know in the comments.