Paternity leave

Check which jurisdiction applies

Paternity leave supports an eligible father, partner, adopter or intended parent after a birth, adoption placement or surrogacy birth. In Great Britain, it is a day-one employee right for qualifying cases from 6 April 2026. One or two weeks can be taken together or separately within 52 weeks, and can come before or after Shared Parental Leave.

Northern Ireland keeps its separate current structure. The employee normally needs 26 weeks' service by the qualifying point, takes one week or two consecutive weeks within 56 days, and cannot take paternity leave after Shared Parental Leave. The jurisdiction note above links to the current NI process.

Use the expected date for notice

For a birth in Great Britain, the employee normally states their intention and expected week at least 15 weeks before that week, then gives at least 28 days' notice of the dates and duration. Newly eligible birth parents whose baby's expected week fell from 5 April to 25 July 2026 inclusive could use a temporary 28-day notice route. The April 2026 Employer Bulletin confirms that babies due from 26 July use the standard two-step notice process. The boundary follows the expected week, not the actual birth or leave date.

Adoption notice instead follows the date the employee is told they have been matched with a child and the expected placement date. For an overseas adoption, it follows the child's expected entry to the UK. Do not substitute the eventual leave date for those triggers.

Keep leave and pay eligibility separate

Qualifying for paternity leave does not prove entitlement to Statutory Paternity Pay. Pay retains its own service, earnings, employment and notice tests.

Record the route to parenthood, expected date, requested week or weeks, notices and decision. If an early birth changes the timetable, use the GOV.UK entitlement guidance rather than forcing the original dates.