Select committee: Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 12
6th Report - Equality at work: Paternity and shared parental leave
Published 10 Jun 2025
Addressed to Government Equalities Office
Women and Equalities Committee Equality at work: paternity and shared parental leave All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
There have been recent local initiatives, for example in Blackpool, Bradford, Lambeth, Nottingham and Southend, in partnership with the National Children’s Bureau’s A Better Start campaign, designed to support fathers to play a more equal role in parenting. This has included training for local authority, third sector and NHS service providers, bespoke services for men taking care of their babies and facilitating spaces and communities in which fathers can share their experiences and support each other. A Better Start was a 10-year programme that is largely coming to an end this year, with an evaluation expected early in 2026. As part of its review, the Government should consider the evidence on the effectiveness of initiatives such as A Better Start partnerships in supporting men to take a greater caring role. It should consider the benefits of commissioning schemes of this nature across the country. (Recommendation, Paragraph 71) 58
From: Women and Equalities Committee, 6th Report - Equality at work: Paternity and shared parental leave (HC 502), 10 June 2025
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 19 September 2025 (deadline 11 August 2025).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government says the parental leave system "needs improvement" and points the Committee's recommendations to its parental leave and pay review, launched on 1 July 2025, rather than committing to specific changes now.
- On paternity pay and leave, the government says increases to the length of paid Paternity Leave should be "considered through the parental leave review" so it can look at the system as a whole.
- On day one paid paternity leave, the government says making statutory paternity or maternity pay a day one right would raise "significant practical and financial challenges". The Employment Rights Bill will make Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave day one rights, coming into force in April 2026.
- On self-employed parents, the government says there is no equivalent Paternity Allowance because "there are no equivalent health and safety requirements", but the review will consider whether support meets the needs of families who do not currently qualify for existing leave, such as the self-employed.
- The review is expected to run for 18 months and "will conclude with a set of findings and a roadmap, including next steps for taking any potential action". Shared Parental Leave, kinship carers, single parents and multiple births are in scope.