Paternity & Unpaid Parental Leave Become Day‑One Rights from April 2026

From 6 April 2026, employees will gain immediate access to both Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave, without needing any qualifying length of service. This marks a major shift from the previous rules, where paternity leave required 26 weeks’ service, and unpaid parental leave required a full year’s service.

These reforms apply to children born or placed for adoption on or after 6 April 2026 (with the expected week of childbirth rules applying from 5 April 2026). Adoptive parents benefit equally, with day‑one eligibility applying in both domestic and overseas adoptions.

Employees newly covered by the change can also give notice early, from 18 February 2026, to take leave as soon as the new rights commence, and a transitional 28‑day notice period will apply for births with an expected week of childbirth between 5 April and 25 July 2026. This temporary reduction ensures employees can actually make use of day‑one entitlement immediately.

What this means for Employers

These reforms create more predictable access to family‑friendly rights and remove the reliance on lengthy qualifying periods. Employers should anticipate that new starters may request leave earlier, and more frequently than before. Policies, onboarding processes, and HR systems will need refreshing to reflect these day‑one entitlements.

Some practical steps for Employers would be to:

1. Update leave policies to remove service‑based eligibility criteria and reflect updated notice rules;
2. Ensure HR teams understand the transitional arrangements, including the reduced notice period for early‑2026 births; and
3. Review scheduling and resourcing plans, as employees may take parental or paternity leave immediately upon joining.

Together, these reforms signal a cultural shift towards more inclusive, supportive workplaces, ensuring parents are not penalised for having their child when their new job begins. Further details about these changes can be found here.

Notes to Editors

Rahman Lowe Solicitors is a specialist employment law firm. For further information or to discuss a potential claim, please contact us on 020 3950 5234 or info@rllaw.co.uk.

31 March 2026