An inquiry has been launched by the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) to address concerns that low uptake of paternity leave and shared parental leave (SPL) contributes significantly to gender inequality.
In 2023, a government evaluation identified a very low uptake of SPL. This is understood to be due to a variety of reasons including financial concern, a lack of awareness and cultural norms. In practice, we know the SPL regime is also complex. Campaign group “The Dad Shift” has also highlighted that uptake of SPL is substantially lower among lower income families.
The inquiry will consider and identify potential options to improve paternity leave and SPL. The WEC has called for evidence by 31 January 2025. They are specifically looking for evidence to address the following:
- Does SPL provide parents with greater choice and flexibility?
- What are the implications on equality and on the labour market in the long term?
- Why is there a low uptake of SPL and what are the solutions?
- What are the inequalities in SPL uptake? This includes ethnicity, income, occupation etc.
- Are there any potential alternatives to the current SPL model?
- What are the lessons from other countries?
It is hoped that this inquiry will raise awareness of leave options for new parents, prompt employers to put in place more effective policies which iron out some of these inequalities and so lead to better support for families. In the long term, it is anticipated that this will contribute to closing the gender pay gap and improving gender equality.
In the meantime, it is already proposed that changes will be made to paternity and family leave in the Employment Rights Bill. This includes making paternity leave a day-one right. More on this can be found in our recent insight here.
Dentons has prepared a Global Family Leave and Pay Snapshot Guide which you can explore to see how the duration and rates of statutory pay for maternity, paternity, adoption and shared leave compare across more than 85 countries. The Snapshot Guide can be found here.
