Paternity Leave Policy - April 2026
In this section
- Introduction
- Scope
- Entitlement to paternity leave (birth)
- Entitlement to paternity leave (adoption)
- Amount of paternity leave you can take
- Timing of paternity leave
- Notice to take paternity leave (birth)
- Notice to take paternity leave (adoption within the UK)
- Notice to take paternity leave (adoption from overseas)
- Late notice
- Changing your paternity leave plans
- Paternity pay
- Further information
- Maternity/Adoption Support Leave (M/ASL)
- Your rights during paternity leave
- Neonatal care leave
- Bereaved partner's paternity leave
- Returning to work after paternity leave
- Time off for antenatal appointments
- Time off to attend adoption appointments
- Data protection
- Additional leave
- Re-instating lost pension because of unpaid paternity leave
- Abuse of the Paternity Leave policy
- Ensuring equality of opportunity
Returning to work after paternity leave
Following your paternity leave, you generally have the right to resume working in the same job as before on terms and conditions that are no less favourable than the terms that would have applied had you not been absent. Your continuity of employment is not affected.