Family Leave / rights for pregnant women & new mothers

6 April 2026

Paternity leave: Previously employees needed to have worked for their employer for 26 weeks before they became eligible for paternity leave. From 6 April 2026 the length of service requirement has been removed, meaning that employees can give notice of their intention to take paternity leave from their first day in a new job.  Note, this does not apply to pay, for which the current rules will apply.
In addition, the restriction on taking paternity leave after taking shared parental leave has been removed.
Parental leave: the length of service requirement for unpaid parental leave (previously 1 years’ service) was removed on 6 April 2026. 
 

Expected 2027

Pregnant employees and those on, or returning from, extended family leave are currently given additional protection in redundancy situations. Since April 2024, in a redundancy situation, pregnant employees, if provisionally selected for redundancy, have had the right to be offered suitable alternative employment (where available) from the point they inform their employer of their pregnancy. This protection continues throughout pregnancy and for 18 months following the child’s birth. The changes due in 2027 will strengthen protections for pregnant women and new mothers. It will be unlawful to dismiss a pregnant employee or one returning from maternity leave within six months of their return, except in limited circumstances. This enhanced dismissal protection will relate not only to redundancy, but to any dismissal. At this stage we do not have any further details of how this will work in practice.

On 23 October 2025 the government launched a consultation on enhanced dismissal protections for pregnant women and new mothers. The consultation is now closed.