Leeds dads welcome major parental leave review after criticism of 'abysmal' support for new fathers
A leading campaigner in Leeds has hailed a review into parental leave, describing it as a long-overdue step towards modernising support for families with young children.
Errol Murray, who runs voluntary group Leeds Dads, said he was thrilled to see the government’s plan to review the pay system - after mounting criticism over the current rules.
As it stands, most new fathers in the UK are entitled to just two weeks’ statutory paternity leave, paid at £187.18 a week or 90 per cent of their average earnings. If a father is self-employed or earns less than £123 a week, he is not entitled to any statutory leave at all.
That contrasts sharply with many other countries in Europe, where the average paternity leave is eight weeks on full pay.
It’s a system that Errol has previously branded “abysmal”. But the recently announced review will look at how maternity, paternity, and parental leave work - with ministers saying the aim is to make the system fairer, while supporting economic growth and giving families the time they need to bond.
“We're really glad the government has decided to go in this direction,” said Errol. “It’s great that the remit for the review is so broad, because it means that lots of people are set to benefit – including self-employed dads, because at the moment, they get no time off and have no support.
“The idea that dads have previously missed out on this is tragic. There’s no logic behind having just two weeks’ paternity leave.”
Earlier this year, his group took part in a national campaign led by The Dad Shift, staging school-gate protests with placards reading “Leeds Dads say two weeks isn’t enough!”
With a national review now in motion, Errol said the group is contributing directly: “We’ve already gathered stories from dads in Leeds to submit as part of the consultation.
“The dozens of families we’ve spoken to in Leeds have all said the same thing: they want to see life becoming easier for parents so they can focus on their children.
“It’s really important that we’re in a position to help families and young people to navigate the world. If we’re not able to do that in the first 1,000 days in line with UN research, then we’re not going to put them in a great place.”