Shared Parental Leave Remains Underused and Financially Unattractive Ten Years After Introduction
Ten years after its introduction in 2015, shared parental leave (SPL) remains used by a small share of eligible parents in the UK, with about 5% of men and 1% of women taking advantage of it. Freedom of Information data reveal that just 1.55% of parental leave requests in the last five years were for SPL.
SPL allows up to 52 weeks of leave, including up to 39 weeks of statutory shared pay. However, pay structures often favour mothers over fathers, and many employers do not offer paid leave to fathers. Typically, two weeks of paternity leave at minimum wage is the norm for dads, making SPL financially unattractive. The UK ranks 40th out of 43 OECD countries for paternity pay and has the weakest paternity pay in Europe.
Use of SPL is skewed toward higher earners, with 95% of SPL taken by fathers in the top half of earners. Uptake among middle- and low-earners has declined since the policy's introduction. The policy is also criticised for being complex and poorly understood; a 2023 assessment found that 45% of fathers were unaware of SPL.
Advocates, including the Fatherhood Institute, Pregnant then Screwed, and the Fawcett Society, argue that SPL is needed to support gender equality and strengthen family bonding. They are calling for paid leave for fathers and co-parents. Some estimates suggest SPL benefits include stronger father–child bonds, higher happiness, a reduced gender pay gap, and potential economic gains of about £2.6 billion.
In July 2025, the government announced an 18-month review of parental leave. An employment rights bill would grant paternity and parental leave rights from day one of employment, although pay rights would only be introduced later.
