'Fathers feel sidelined': Leeds campaigners push for better paternity rights

Leeds Dads, which has campaigned for fairer paternity leave for 15 years this summer, will take part in coordinated marches across Leeds, London, Manchester and Nottingham on Saturday (May 2).

The group says the current two-week entitlement leaves fathers feeling “sidelined” from the moment their child is born and puts the family under unnecessary strain.

Founder Errol Murray said many dads who attend the group describe feeling “optional” in maternity settings, with some not even offered a seat during appointments.

“They feel sidelined. It’s like they’re not a necessary part of the process,” he told the Yorkshire Evening Post. “Sometimes they’re not told where they can be, they’re not made to feel welcome… all of these things add to the sense of not being wanted.”

He argues the UK’s statutory leave - two weeks at £194.32 a week - is “pathetic” and forces many fathers to return to work early because they cannot afford the pay cut.

“They say, ‘We’re okay, don’t worry, we don’t need the leave,’ but they’re too embarrassed to say they can’t afford it,” he said. “It costs thousands to have a baby and most households go down from two wages to one.”

Leeds Dads, which Murray founded when his daughter Rayya was born, is calling for six weeks of paternity leave at 90 per cent pay, a model supported by research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Murray said the change would allow fathers to bond with their babies, support mothers recovering from births - especially after C-sections - and reduce the risk of post-natal depression.

“It all pays off,” he said. “For the dad’s well-being, for the mum’s well-being, for the family’s well-being.”

He also argues that the economic benefits are clear: “If mums feel more supported, they go back to work earlier. That creates £2.5 billion for the GDP of the country. That’s profit, not cost.”

Saturday’s Leeds march will set off from Briggate at 11am before heading to Millennium Square, where speakers including councillors, MPs, healthcare specialists and business leaders will address the crowd. Activities and play areas are available to keep children entertained.

Murray said the event is designed to show that parental leave is a community issue, not just a political one.

“Don’t wait for the government. Don’t wait for play groups. Do it yourself,” he said. “Bring the grandparents, bring the neighbours. This is a community issue.”

Despite progress in attitudes to fatherhood, Murray says many dads still feel unwelcome in early-years settings.

“It’s 2026 and dads are still telling me they go to the first midwife appointment and there’s no chair for them. They’re not made to feel welcome,” he said. “Unless that changes, I can’t tell you how difficult it’s going to be for families.”

Leeds Dads, which runs free weekly activities for fathers and children, has seen demand rise sharply - even as funding becomes harder to secure. The group has won several national awards and is planning a series of events this year to mark its milestone anniversary.

For Murray, the message this weekend is simple: “Children make families. Families make communities. Communities make cities like Leeds. If we’re going to build Leeds, we have to start with the first building blocks.”