Parental leave

The right to Parental Leave is in addition to any rights for Paternity Leave – see our separate factsheet on Paternity Leave.

If you are the parent of a child under 5 or a disabled child under 18 and you have worked for the same employer for 12 months you are entitled to take off 13 weeks in total for each child up to their 5th birthday or a total or 18 weeks for each disabled child up to the child’s 18th birthday. Parents who adopt will have up to 5 years after the adoption is finalised to undertake this leave

Parental leave is usually unpaid.

Each parent has a right to parental leave although if you are separated and your ex-partner looks after the child you only have a right if you have parental responsibility for the child.

Leave must be in blocks of full weeks and you cannot take more than 4 weeks leave for any one child in any year.

The above information is not intended to be a complete or definitive statement of the law. For more information or advice please contact our Employment Law team.