When you take time off because your partner is having a baby (or babies!), adopting a child or having a baby through a surrogacy arrangement you might be eligible for;
1 or 2 weeks paid Paternity Leave, taken together or separate weeks
Paternity leave is paid at your standard weekly salary rate, excluding bonuses, on call or overtime, or any additional earnings)
There are rules on how to claim and when your leave can start (you can find further details on www.gov.uk/paternity-pay-leave). Your employment rights are protected whilst on paternity leave. This includes your right to build up holiday and return to work.
Antenatal appointments
You can also have time off to accompany your partner to 2 antenatal appointments if you are:
the baby’s father
the expectant mother’s spouse or civil partner
in a long-term relationship with the expectant mother
the intended parent (if you’re having a baby through a surrogacy arrangement)
If adopting a child you can get time off to attend 2 appointments after you've been matched with a child.
How to claim
Leave can’t start before the birth. You can take paternity leave at any point during the first year following the arrival of the baby but must finish within that year.
You must tell the company at least 15 weeks before the week the baby is expected:
the baby's due date
when you want your leave to start
if you want 1 or 2 weeks leave
You don’t have to give a precise date when you want to take leave (such as 1st February). Instead you can give the general time, including the day of the birth or 1 week after the birth. We appreciate that babies do not always adhere to schedules very well, so please advise us as soon as you can of any change to the expected start date of your paternity leave.
