Shared Parental Leave: A UK Dad's Complete Guide

Shared Parental Leave (SPL) has been available since 2015, promising dads the chance to share up to 50 weeks of leave with their partner. Yet the latest government data shows only 5% of eligible fathers take it.

Why so few? Part of it is lack of awareness. Part is financial reality. And part is workplace culture that still treats dad leave as unusual.

This guide covers everything: how SPL works, whether it makes financial sense for your family, and how to navigate the conversation with your employer.

The Basics: What Is Shared Parental Leave?

Shared Parental Leave allows eligible parents to share up to 50 weeks of leave and up to 37 weeks of pay in the first year after their child is born or adopted.

Instead of the mother taking all her maternity leave, she can "curtail" (end early) her maternity leave and share the remaining weeks with the father.

What you can share:

Up to 50 weeks leave (52 weeks maternity leave minus 2 weeks compulsory maternity leave)
Up to 37 weeks Statutory Shared Parental Pay (39 weeks maternity pay minus 2 weeks)

Flexibility:

Take leave in blocks (minimum 1 week)
Take leave at the same time as your partner
Alternate blocks of leave between you
Return to work between blocks

Eligibility: Can You Take SPL?

Both parents must meet specific criteria:

For the Father/Partner

Employment requirements:

Employed (not self-employed) for at least 26 weeks by the end of the 15th week before the due date
Still employed by the same employer when you take SPL

Earnings requirements:

Earn at least £125 per week on average (over 8 weeks)

Partner requirements:

Your partner must be eligible for maternity leave/pay or maternity allowance
Your partner must give notice to end their maternity leave

For the Mother

Must have:

Worked for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before the due date
Earned at least £30 per week on average in 13 of those weeks
Given notice to curtail maternity leave

If the mother isn't eligible for maternity leave (e.g., self-employed), she may get Maternity Allowance instead, and different rules apply.

How Much You'll Get Paid

Statutory Shared Parental Pay (ShPP)

2025/26 rate: £187.18 per week (or 90% of average weekly earnings if lower)

This is the same rate as Statutory Maternity Pay after the first 6 weeks.

Enhanced Employer Pay

Many employers offer enhanced maternity pay—but far fewer offer enhanced shared parental pay. This is often the killer:

Example:

Mum's employer: 6 months full pay, then 3 months statutory
Dad's employer: Statutory only (£187.18/week)

If dad takes SPL instead of mum continuing maternity leave, the family loses the enhanced pay. For many families, this makes SPL financially impossible.

Before deciding: Check your employer's SPL policy. Some progressive employers now match their maternity enhancement for SPL.

The Financial Calculation

Let's work through a real example:

Scenario: Both parents earn £45,000/year. Mum's employer offers 6 months full pay. Dad's employer offers statutory SPL only.

Option A: Mum takes 12 months maternity leave

Months 1-6: £3,750/month (full pay)
Months 7-9: £812/month (statutory)
Months 10-12: £0 (unpaid)
Total income during leave: £24,936

Option B: Mum takes 6 months, Dad takes 6 months SPL

Mum months 1-6: £3,750/month (full pay) = £22,500
Dad months 7-12: £812/month (statutory) = £4,872
Total income during leave: £27,372

Wait—Option B is actually more? Yes, if mum would take unpaid leave anyway. But:

Option C: Mum takes 9 months, Dad takes 3 months SPL

Mum months 1-6: £3,750/month = £22,500
Mum months 7-9: £812/month = £2,436
Dad months 10-12: £812/month = £2,436
Total income: £27,372

The point: the financial impact depends entirely on your specific employer policies and how you structure the leave.

How to Apply for SPL

Step 1: Check Eligibility (Both Parents)

Verify you both meet the employment and earnings requirements.

Step 2: Mother Curtails Maternity Leave

The mother must give "binding notice" to end her maternity leave early. This can be done:

Before the baby is born (can be revoked within 6 weeks of birth)
After the baby is born (generally binding once given)

She must give at least 8 weeks' notice.

Step 3: Both Parents Submit Notices

You both need to submit to your respective employers:

Notice of entitlement: States your eligibility and how much leave/pay is available
Notice of leave: When you actually want to take leave

These are usually combined into one form—your HR department should have templates.

Required information:

Baby's expected/actual due date
Mother's maternity leave start and end dates
How much SPL and ShPP each parent intends to take
Intended leave dates

Step 4: Employer Response

Your employer must respond within 14 days. They can:

Accept your request as submitted
Request a meeting to discuss (they cannot refuse eligible leave)

If you want discontinuous leave (blocks with gaps), your employer can refuse and you must take it as one continuous block instead.

Timeline

When	Action
8+ weeks before leave	Submit notice of entitlement
8+ weeks before leave	Submit notice of leave dates
Within 14 days	Employer responds
Up to 8 weeks before start	Can change dates (3 times total)

Common SPL Arrangements

Overlapping Leave (Together Time)

Both parents off at the same time—common in the first weeks.

Example: Mum takes weeks 1-26, Dad takes weeks 1-8 (paternity leave plus SPL)

Pros: Both parents bond with baby, mum has support during recovery Cons: Uses leave faster, may prefer to extend total time one parent is home

Tag-Team (Sequential Leave)

One parent hands over to the other.

Example: Mum takes weeks 1-30, Dad takes weeks 31-52

Pros: Baby has a parent at home for full year, dad gets extended solo time Cons: Less overlap, can feel like solo parenting for each parent

Alternating Blocks

Parents rotate in blocks throughout the year.

Example: Mum: weeks 1-16. Dad: weeks 17-28. Mum: weeks 29-40. Dad: weeks 41-52.

Pros: Both parents get multiple blocks, share the experience Cons: Complex to arrange, multiple childcare transitions

Part-Time SPL

Take SPL in combination with part-time work.

Example: Dad works 3 days, takes SPL for 2 days

Pros: Maintains some income, stays connected to work Cons: Requires employer agreement (SPLIT arrangement), can be tiring

Why So Few Dads Take SPL

The 5% uptake figure isn't because dads don't want to be involved. The barriers are real:

Financial Barriers

Statutory pay (£187.18/week) often isn't liveable
Most employers enhance maternity but not SPL
Families can't afford the income drop

Workplace Culture

Many workplaces still treat extended dad leave as unusual
Fear of career impact (real or perceived)
Lack of manager support
Male colleagues not modelling it

Complexity

The application process is genuinely confusing
HR departments often unfamiliar with SPL
Fear of getting it wrong

Partner Employment

If mum is self-employed or doesn't meet eligibility, options are limited
If mum's enhanced pay is significantly better, SPL makes less financial sense

Making the Case to Your Employer

If you want to take SPL but worry about workplace perception, some framing that helps:

Business case:

Planned absence is easier to cover than unexpected absence
Engaged employees perform better long-term
Companies that support parental leave have better retention

Personal framing:

"I'd like to discuss using my statutory right to Shared Parental Leave"
"I'm planning ahead to ensure minimal disruption to the team"
Present it as a fact, not a request (it's a legal right)

Documentation:

Put requests in writing
Keep copies of all correspondence
Note dates and what was agreed

If Your Employer Is Difficult

SPL is a legal right if you're eligible. Your employer cannot:

Refuse eligible leave
Treat you less favourably for taking it
Penalise you in pay reviews or promotions

If you face discrimination, you can raise a grievance internally or contact ACAS (0300 123 1100) for advice.

Alternatives to SPL

If SPL doesn't work for your situation:

Paternity Leave (Standard)

1 or 2 weeks (your choice)
Within 56 days of birth
Statutory Paternity Pay: £187.18/week (or 90% of earnings if lower)
Plus any enhanced employer pay

Unpaid Parental Leave

18 weeks per child (until they turn 18)
Maximum 4 weeks per year
No pay (unless employer offers enhanced)
Need 1 year's service

Annual Leave

Use accrued holiday around birth/afterwards
Maintains full pay
Limited by your holiday entitlement

Flexible Working

Request reduced hours, compressed hours, or working from home
Not leave, but can help you be more present
We cover this in detail in our flexible working guide

The Argument for Taking SPL

Despite the barriers, dads who take SPL overwhelmingly report positive experiences:

For your child:

Extended time building relationship
Learning baby's cues and rhythms
Shared caregiving from the start

For your partner:

Genuine shared responsibility
Time to recover/return to work
More equal partnership established early

For you:

Time you'll never get back
Skills and confidence in parenting
Career isn't everything

The government's evaluation of SPL found that families who used it reported improved work-life balance and better relationships—even though uptake remains low.

Getting Help

Gov.uk SPL guidance: gov.uk/shared-parental-leave-and-pay

ACAS helpline: 0300 123 1100 (for workplace disputes)

Working Families: workingfamilies.org.uk - charity supporting working parents

Employers for Childcare: employersforchildcare.org - practical advice

The Bottom Line

Shared Parental Leave is one of the most significant parenting opportunities available to UK dads—and one of the least used.

The decision involves real trade-offs: financial, career, and logistical. For some families, it makes perfect sense. For others, the barriers are too high.

But if you're even considering it, do the maths properly, check your employer's policy, and don't assume it won't work without investigating. The few weeks or months of SPL could be time with your child you'd never otherwise have.

Thinking about making more permanent changes to your work pattern? Read our guide to negotiating flexible working as a dad.