Employment
Parental leave to be granted to all employees from April 2026
New legislation from the government is set to remove qualifying periods of employment before workers have the right to request parental leave, increasing protections and improving living standards for employees in the UK.
The government has announced that they will implement increased access to parental leave for all employees from April 2026.
Currently, there is a qualifying period for entitlement to those rights, but under the new legislation, they will become available from the commencement of employment from the implementation date.
Increasing parental leave rights: Why the government have improved access to parental leave
The government have stated: “For too long, working people were left without the basic rights and security they deserve. That ends now.”
The amendments to parental leave rights were proposed at the last election, and their introduction is fast approaching. This is part of a full review into the maternity and paternity system to see how it can work better for parents and employers.
This includes bereavement leave for those who have lost a partner or child under 1 year old. Additionally, access to statutory sick pay will also start from day one rather than waiting 3 days to receive entitlement.
Concerns around the impact of increased parental leave on businesses
Whilst this has been recognised by many as a positive benefit to many families, businesses are concerned how this will impact on small businesses, who may not have the resources to cover the absences. The government opposition have stated that the legislation “piles on red tape” and would “destroy jobs, not protect them.”
Andrew Griffith MP, shadow business and trade secretary, said: “Whilst we support hard-working families and parental leave rights, the 330-page Employment Rights Bill goes far beyond protecting parents. It piles on red tape, taking Britain back to the 1970s and risks dragging thousands of small businesses into costly employment tribunals.”
What the changes to parental leave actually mean for employees in the UK
The general consensus finds that the UK will now be brought into line with other countries where workers already have better protections. Crucially, it is stated by the TUC that the legislation will give working people the higher living standards and secure incomes that are needed to build a decent life.
“Good employers will also welcome these changes – the Act protects them from competitors whose business models are built on low-paid, insecure employment.”
The UK still has one of the least favourable paternity and maternity provisions in relation to other economies, but this development to parental leave is recognised as a step in the right direction.
