From 6th April 2026, employees will be eligible for unpaid parental leave from their first day of employment.
Unpaid parental leave
Eligible employees can take unpaid parental leave to look after their child’s welfare, for example to:
- spend more time with their children
- look at new schools
- settle children into new childcare arrangements
- spend more time with family, such as visiting grandparents
Parental leave is unpaid.
Protected employment rights
Their employment rights (like the right to pay, holidays and returning to a job) are protected during parental leave.
How many weeks
You’re entitled to 18 weeks’ leave for each child and adopted child, up to their 18th birthday.
The limit on how much parental leave each parent can take in a year is 4 weeks for each child (unless the employer agrees otherwise).
You must take parental leave as whole weeks (for example 1 week or 2 weeks) rather than individual days, unless your employer agrees otherwise or if your child is disabled. You do not have to take all the leave at once.
A ‘week’ equals the length of time an employee normally works over 7 days.
Parental leave applies to each child, not to an individual’s job.
Eligibility
Employees qualify if all of these apply:
- they’re named on the child’s birth or adoption certificate or they have or expect to have parental responsibility
- they’re not self-employed or a ‘worker’, for example an agency worker or contractor
- they’re not a foster parent (unless they’ve secured parental responsibility through the courts)
- the child is under 18
The prior requirement to have been employed for a minimum one year ends on 6th April 2026 when parental leave becomes a day one right.
Proof – but only ask once!
Employers can ask for proof (like a birth certificate) as long as it’s reasonable to do so.
They cannot ask for proof each time an employee requests leave as they already know they have a right.
What about other who don’t have the right?
Employers can choose to offer parental leave to those who are not eligible. Employees can check this in their staff handbook.
How much notice is needed
Employees must give 21 days’ notice before their intended start date.
If they or their partner are having a baby or adopting, it’s 21 days before the week the baby or child is expected.
Employees must confirm the start and end dates in their notice. Unless an employer requests it, this does not have to be in writing.
Can the employer delay the leave?
Employers can potentially delay leave but need a good reason and would need to give notice and suggest alternate timings.
If the employer does postpone the leave, they:
- must write explaining why within 7 days of the original request
- must suggest a new start date – this must be within 6 months of the requested start date
- cannot change the amount of leave being requested
However, there are times the employer cannot delay or postpone. Leave cannot be postponed (delayed) if:
- the employer does not have a ‘significant reason’, for example it would cause serious disruption to the business
- it’s being taken by the father or partner immediately after the birth or adoption of a child
- it means an employee would no longer qualify for parental leave, for example postponing it until after the child’s 18th birthday
PAYadvice.UK 19/2/2026