· Reassured reveals the disparities in parental leave experiences for UK fathers.
· Paternity leave across the UK shows regional inequalities, with Manchester leading for parental leave while fathers in Leeds grapple with career repercussions.
· Industry-wise, the charity and law sectors had the highest perceived career impact for fathers.
New research indicates that UK fathers could be getting short changed when it comes to the early weeks of raising their children.
As the pressures of raising a family increase, life insurance broker, Reassured, has investigated which countries and industries are the best and worst for paternity leave. The experts spoke with UK fathers* to determine their stance on the parental options they’re given, and the majority are dissatisfied.
According to the research, there are also significant disparities in parental leave experiences, with over one in six (17.1%) fathers being granted five to six weeks of paid paternity leave, whilst 20% were allowed just one to two weeks.
Over half (52%) stated they felt pressured to return to work early, 41% were denied longer leave and 60% wished their leave was on par with their partners.
Which UK cities are the best and worst for paternity leave?
The study further revealed significant regional variations, with Manchester as the best city for paternity leave, with 41% of fathers enjoying nine to 10 weeks of paid leave. Yet, cities like Norwich and Liverpool provided only one to two weeks for 33.3% and 30% of parents respectively.
Leeds stood out as the city where the negative impacts of longer paternity leave were the most pronounced, with 70% of fathers stating that their careers could be affected. In comparison, this figure was 45% in London and 43% in Birmingham.
Which UK industries are the worst for paternity leave?
Shockingly, 100% of fathers in the charity and law sectors reported that their careers could be adversely affected by taking longer leave. Other industries with high levels of career impact included law enforcement and security (75%), recruitment, HR, transport, and accountancy (67%).
For those in the creative arts and design industry, only 20% said they felt their career could be affected. This was also true for those in a teaching and education role.
The top 5 industries for paternity leave are:
| Rank | Industry | Pat Leave Avg. (Weeks) |
| 1 | Healthcare | 12.0 |
| 2 | Finance | 11.5 |
| 3 | Industrial | 9.6 |
| 4 | Technology | 7.3 |
| 5 | Consumer Cyclical | 7.0 |
The best countries for paternity leave
So how does the UK compare to other countries for paternity leave?
Out of the 43 countries analysed, the UK came in 24th, with its average paternity leave length of 2 weeks, and most UK companies offering just an 18.5% overall average payment rate. This is a sharp contrast to the number one country, Spain, which offers dads an average of 16 weeks of paid paternity leave at 100% of their salary.
In fact, Spain’s paternity leave benefits dwarf that of every other country. The Netherlands, which came in second place, only offers an average of 6 weeks paid leave, less than half that of Spain, and at 79.9% the average salary, though this is still far ahead of what is offered to UK fathers.
Delving further into the topic, Reassured spoke to Danielle Baron to offer tips on what employers can do to make paternity leave more accessible to new parents:
· Flexible Policies: Offer parental leave policies that are flexible and inclusive of diverse family structures, including same-sex couples and adoptive parents.
· Inclusive Communication: Ensure that all communication related to parental leave is inclusive and avoids gender stereotypes. Use the term “parental leave” rather than “maternity leave”.
· Equal Opportunities: Encourage all employees, regardless of gender, to take leave. Promote shared parental leave and strive for equal opportunities.
· Return-to-Work Support: Comprehensive support for employees returning to work is essential. This support can include phased returns, flexible work arrangements, and access to counselling services when necessary.
· Mentorship and Training: Offer mentorship and training programmes to help parents smoothly reintegrate into the workplace.
A spokesperson at Reassured comments further: “Our study highlights the need for continued efforts to improve parental leave policies. With life being filled with unforeseen twists and turns it’s crucial to ensure your family is protected should the worst happen. To learn more about our family life insurance please get in touch with the Reassured team.”
