There are three categories of entitlements that policies generally cover:
Fathers were entitled to 2 weeks' leave if they had worked for the same employer for at least 26 weeks by the 15th week before the baby was due.
Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) set at £100 per week or 90% of average weekly earnings (whichever was lower).
SPP today is £184.03 per week - which represents 3% growth per annum since its introduction 21 years ago.
Introduced the idea of "Additional Paternity Leave" (APL), which only came into force in 2011.
Allowed fathers to take additional paid time off if the mother went back to work early between the baby being 20 weeks and 12mths old.
APL was the precursor to, and superseded by SPL (see below).
Still in force today, SPL allows parents to share 37 weeks of pay and 50 weeks of total leave.
SPL replaced APL, adding minor additional flexibility around when the parents can be off.
Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) is paid at the same rate as Statutory Paternity Pay i.e. lower of £184.03 per week and 90% of your pay.
SPL was a political distraction disingenuously badged as a victory for fathers. It was a poor idea for several reasons:
SPL is generally regarded as an abysmal failure - uptake since the beginning has been very poor, with 2023 uptake estimated at only 5% of fathers (Dept for Business & Trade).
Employers are very positive about offering SPL, because they can list it as a benefit and pay fathers well below minimum wage if taken.
Updates to Statutory Paternity Leave came into force in 2024, which per SPL, have been overstated as being a victory for fathers and families under the banner of "improved flexibility", but in reality are little more than a political distraction. Changes to the regulations are:
So, since its introduction in 2003, the structure and pay (in real terms) of paternity leave have barely changed
