Paternity Leave Policy - April 2026

Maternity/Adoption Support Leave (M/ASL)

Where an employee does not meet the eligibility conditions for enhanced or statutory paternity/adoption pay set out in week 1 and week 2 options above, please see Maternity/Adoption Support Leave section below.

M/ASL applies to employees who have been elected by the expectant mother/primary adopter:

•    as the nominated carer; or
•    to employees who have less than 26 weeks continuous service at the 15th week before the EWC; 
•    in the case of UK adoption employees who have less than 26 weeks continuous service leading into the week in which the adopter is notified of being matched with a child; 
•    in the case of overseas adoption who have less than 26 weeks continuous service leading to the week in which the child will enter the UK. 

Maternity/Adoption Support Leave of one week with normal pay shall be granted to the child’s biological parent or the partner or nominated carer of an expectant birth parent at or around the time of birth. 

To qualify for maternity/adoption support leave the employee requesting this time will be the main support for the expectant mother primary adopter and/or nominated carer of the child.

If the authority knows that the biological parent/ partner/ co-adopter intends to take their entitlement to M/ASL and/or statutory paternity leave (SPL) then there will be no need for a ‘nominated carer'. 

(Nominated Carer – there will be a requirement for a supporting letter from the expectant birth parent or primary adopter confirming that the employee has been elected as the nominated carer in the absence of a spouse, partner or co-adopter with parental responsibility).