105 Labour MPs press Burnham to expand statutory paternity leave

Pressure before the budget

A group of 105 Labour MPs has asked British Prime Minister Andy Burnham to improve statutory paternity leave in the government’s next budget, turning a long-running family-policy debate into an immediate test for the administration. The letter was reported by the Guardian on September 11, ahead of the chancellor’s budget next month and the expected conclusion of the government’s broader parental-leave review in December.

The MPs want fathers and partners to receive six weeks of leave paid at 90% of earnings. They argue that the existing settlement is least usable for lower-paid households because many families cannot absorb a sharp loss of income after a child is born. The proposal has not been adopted by the government, and its cost, eligibility rules and interaction with employer-funded benefits would still require detailed policy work.

What the current system provides

Official HM Revenue and Customs guidance sets statutory paternity pay for the 2026-27 tax year at £194.32 a week or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower. Eligible employees may take two weeks of paternity leave. The government has already made leave available from the first day of employment, but statutory pay remains subject to qualifying conditions.

That distinction between entitlement to time off and the ability to afford it is central to the MPs’ case. Government evidence collected for the parental-leave review found that fathers who did not take statutory leave were much more likely than mothers to cite affordability. The review also treats labour-market participation, gender equality, child development and costs to employers and the exchequer as linked policy questions.

Why the decision matters

A substantial expansion would shift Britain away from a short, flat-rate model toward earnings-related support. Advocates say that could allow more fathers to take leave, distribute early childcare more evenly and reduce career penalties that disproportionately fall on mothers. The fiscal effect would depend on how the benefit is capped, whether employers can reclaim payments and how many eligible parents participate.

The immediate question is whether Burnham and the chancellor put a commitment in the coming budget or wait for the parental-leave review’s findings and implementation roadmap. The Guardian reported that the government says earlier changes brought another 32,000 partners within the scope of paternity leave and that the review is intended to reflect modern work and childcare. Until ministers respond formally, the six-week proposal remains a coordinated parliamentary demand rather than government policy.