Boosting paternity leave has economic benefits - Pregnant Then Screwed

Men who spend time with their children report a boost in happiness and fulfillment that may also extend to the workplace. In one 2018 study, 60 percent of men described childcare hours as “very meaningful,” almost double the percentage of men who described paid work that way.13 At the same time, many new fathers also discover a newfound appreciatio... See more

A government review from 2023, external suggests almost half (45%) of all dads weren't even aware shared parental leave was an option.

And it was used in fewer than 2% of all births last year.

Those choices can also create financial benefits for families. Paternity leave reduces the gender wage gap within households by increasing mothers’ wages in the short term and helping to increase total household financial well-being in the long term.11 Research conducted on roughly 9,000 families observed parental pay one year prior to childbirth a... See more

Financial constraints and access to enhanced pay is also impacting the take-up of SPL, with one in four mothers and one in three fathers stating that negative financial impact was the main reason for not taking such leave. Currently, parents taking advantage of SPL are entitled to £172.48 per week and if both parents decide to take SPL leave, this ... See more

Indeed, research indicates that longer periods of paternal leave are associated with more frequent engagement in developmental tasks and caretaking during the first few years of children’s lives.