How to compare the British paternity leave to the rest of Europe

Offer paternity vacation to new parents in the United Kingdom is “one of the worst in the developed world,” according to To a new report published this week.

The government says the regime needs “improvement” and promised to review parental leave. But how does the situation in the United Kingdom compare elsewhere?

BBC News spoke to parents all over Europe about the amount of time they can take off the work after the birth of their children – and how this has changed for them.

When Jimmy Kiara’s daughter was born three years ago, he says he is “very difficult.”

“I had to see my partner struggling to take care of our child,” says Jimmy. “The biggest thing I remember was crying. It was clear that my daughter needed support and my wife was remarkably struggling and exhausting.”

A few weeks after the birth of Kiara, Jimmy’s mother -in -law flew to Zimbabwe to support the family, because Jimmy was only entitled to obtain legal paternity leave.

Rules in the United Kingdom Allow new parents and the second fathers in a full -time job to employ up to two weeks of work. This applies to all partners, regardless of sex, after birth, alternative mother or adopting a child, but not those who work for their own account or parents earn less than 123 pounds per week.

These qualified people get 187.18 pounds per week, or 90 % of their average profits, whichever is less. This works less than half of the national living wages.

Jimmy, from Alaford in Kent, says the legal salary was “frankly with pennies.”

He and his partner now expect their second child, in August – something they started to save before Jimmy Zanel’s wife carried.

Jimmy says that his “frustration” from the salaries of paternity led him to attend the first “my father’s strike” in the world earlier this week, when parents from all over the country protested outside the Ministry of Business and Trade in Westminster.

“Seeing things is relatively changed in other countries … Why don’t we continue?” Jimmy says.

For Octavio, spending four months at home with his daughter Alisia has made a “huge difference”.

He divided the paternity leave into two parts – six weeks – was mandatory – immediately after the birth of Alicia, and the remaining ten weeks when his wife returned to work.

“We were allowed to stretch quality with Alicia’s development to develop a strong bond that I think will not be deeply formed,” says Octavio, computer engineer from Seville.

During the past few years, Spain has increased the amount of time granted to new parents. In 2019, parents were entitled to five weeks after work. But since 2021, it has spanned 16 weeks in full wage, including for those who work for their own account. There is no cover on the paid salary. This means that parents’ leave is now equal between mothers and parents in Spain.

“These changes have made a big difference,” Octavio says.

France has also taken progressive steps on paternity vacation in recent years.

Antoine is an architect who lives on the outskirts of Paris, and has benefited from changes. When his son Thepolt was born five years ago, Antoine, who was working full time, was entitled to leave two weeks.

But in September 2020, paternity leave in France has doubled, which means that Antoine got four weeks of work when his second child was born in 2023.

He says, “I was allowed to support my wife and children.” “Parents should be allowed to be more present during this family life that enrichs all relationships and allows them to take their place as full -time parents.”

The rules of paternity leave in France mean that parents – including those who work for their own account – must take a week immediately after the birth of their child. The wage is covered by the employer for the first three days, but the state is then funded.

The remaining 21 days, which can be divided into two pieces, are optional and can be taken at any time during the next six months. The wage is directed at 3,428 euros (2,921 pounds) per month.

Andre, who was born in Portugal and spent nine years to live in England, says that the prominent role played by parents in Denmark was one of the first things he noticed when he moved there.

André says: “You see parents wandering with their children and their young children,” Andrei says. I was like: “Wow, I am not used to this. “

Parents in Denmark, including those who work for their own account, can take up to 24 weeks of fully wage by the state.

After eleven weeks, the remaining 13 can be transferred to the birth partner if it wants, so that they can use it as an additional maternity vacation. A parent can postpone up to 13 weeks of parents until the age of their ninth child is.

Andrei decided to divide his parental leave – taking two weeks after the birth of his child Miro and rescuing the remaining 11 weeks – so that he could take care of his nine -month -old son when his partner returns to work.

André says: “In Denmark, the partner is expected to be more present,” André says. “You are not only calling with your child, but you want to develop a family as a whole together.”

Parents who have full -time jobs in Poland are entitled to have a two -week paternity leave. But unlike the UK, the salary is paid by 100 %, which Cameel says it is “great”.

Shortly after his first birthday, Mariana, Cameel took another nine weeks of non -convertible parents, which must be taken in the first year. This is available to both parents, as long as they are employed, and it is paid by 70 % of the full -time salary.

“For many families, 70 % nine weeks are very low, but when I took my wife’s leave I started to return to work. I got 30 %, but she started earning more, so it was useful for our family,” Cameel says.

Cameel says that these nine additional weeks reduce a lot of “tension” as his wife returned to work a year after maternity leave.

“I was confident,” Camille says. “I felt as if I was doing a good job – and my daughter felt satisfied with me.”

Matthias, from Stockholm, says that his three -month -old son is “the best feeling he had ever.”

Matthias is able to benefit from one of the most paternity policies in the world. Parents in Sweden, including those who work for their own account, can share up to 480 days of parents ’vacation, with 90 days specially reserved for each parent.

The Ringfense license was presented to the parents for the first time in Sweden in 1995, with the “Father Month” – only 30 days to parents. The use or loss form rose to 60 days in 2002, and 90 days in 2016.

The first 390 days for each parent is paid by 80 % by the government, with a maximum monthly salary of 47,750 CE (3,590 pounds). After that, there is a daily legal compensation for Sek180 (14 pounds).

Matthias took six weeks when Auto was born and will use another nine months of parental vacation starting from November.

“We can share pregnancy at the beginning when everything was new,” Matthias says. “These six weeks allowed us to be fathers together – which made a big difference.”

Some companies, in the United Kingdom and outside, are pushing their own pocket to improve the policies of paternity leave that exceed the legal minimum. But research conducted in 2023 showed that only 12 % of parents of low -income families managed to reach their full right to leave and push the improved parents from the employer.

“The money is the largest individual barrier” for parents who spend action and the government wants to fund a better paternity leave for all parents, “says Alex Lloyd Hont, co -founder of The Dad Shift.

A report, published this week by the WEC Committee (WEC), said that the legal wage in the United Kingdom “is completely outside the cost of living.” He suggested that the government should consider increasing paternity salaries to 90 % or more and leaving paternity to six weeks in a gradual approach.

The report also looked at the joint parent leave, which was presented in 2014, which allows parents to share up to 50 weeks of leave to 37 weeks of wage after the birth or accreditation of a child. The review found that many families consider them “unnecessarily complicated”. It is used in less than 2 % of all births and a report from 2023 indicates that approximately half (45 %) of parents were not even a shared parental leave.

“We know that the parental leave system must be improved,” said a spokesman for the Ministry of Business and Trade.

They also pointed to the changes that the parents will not have to be employed by a 26 -week company in order for them to obtain legal paternity leave.