Paternity leave in the UK is currently short and underpaid, meaning that many fathers may miss out on time with their families.
In addition, women’s employment drops by 15% around childbirth, as many quit/take a break from their jobs due to childcare commitments.
However, a new study conducted by the University of Bath found that extending paternity leave to six weeks and paying fathers 90% of their average earnings (capped at £1,200 per week) could deliver net social benefits of up to £12.8 billion annually.
The report’s authors also recommended that changes to Shared Parental Leave (SPL) should be considered, as the current system is complex and has a low take-up rate.
Countries with well-paid paternity leave, such as Sweden, Iceland and the Canadian province of Quebec, have reported much higher levels of employment and childcare gains.
Businesses would also benefit in terms of improved staff retention, employee wellbeing and productivity.
Daddy cool
The Fatherhood Institute is a charity dedicated to supporting and improving paternal caregiving in the UK.
Dr Jeremy Davies, deputy CEO at the Fatherhood Institute, said: “The UK’s statutory paternity offer has been at the bottom of the international league table for far too long.
“This important new research confirms that the benefits of a better-designed system could be huge.
“We call on the government to give this the attention it deserves, in its forthcoming review of the parental leave system.”
Dr Joanna Clifton-Sprigg from the University of Bath’s Department of Economics said: “Fathers want to be more involved, and mothers want to stay connected to work.
“The current system lets everyone down, so we’re calling for a policy that matches what modern parents want.
“Six weeks of well-paid leave is a simple and cost-effective place to start.”
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