UK Paternity Leave: M&S and Tesco Offer Six Weeks’ Pay

Retailers including Marks & Spencer (M&S) and Tesco are setting a higher standard for paternity leave in the UK, offering eligible employees six weeks of fully paid leave while campaigners call on the government to improve statutory entitlements for new fathers. New research highlights a growing gap between family-friendly policies in retail and the more limited provisions available to many workers in construction, manufacturing and agriculture.

The debate has intensified as campaigners, trade unions and Labour MPs press for reforms to help fathers spend more time with newborn children, support their partners and share childcare responsibilities. They argue that the current statutory provision leaves many families with inadequate financial support during the early weeks of parenthood, particularly those on lower incomes and self-employed workers who do not qualify for paid paternity leave.

M&S and Tesco Offer Six Weeks of Fully Paid Paternity Leave

M&S and Tesco are among the major UK retailers offering six weeks of paternity leave at full pay, according to research compiled by campaign group The Dad Shift and Ian Dinwiddy of Inspiring Dads. Their policies go well beyond the statutory minimum of two weeks and place them among the more generous employers listed on the FTSE 100 in terms of paternity leave.

M&S expanded its paternity leave provision in 2024, increasing the offer from two weeks to six weeks at full pay. The change enabled employee Joe Erskine to spend more time supporting his family after the birth of his second child.

“Being able to take six weeks’ paid paternity leave, flexibly, made a huge difference to me and my family, giving me the time to support my partner and settle into being a new parent,” Erskine said.

His experience illustrates how longer, fully paid leave can give new fathers more time to bond with their children and help their partners during the transition to parenthood. Flexible arrangements can also allow families to organise care around their individual needs.

Other employers have introduced enhanced parental leave policies in recent years. Privately owned companies including Ikea, Lego and Virgin Media O2 also offer new fathers more weeks of fully paid leave than the statutory minimum.

Retailers such as Asda, Waitrose and Lidl have also improved their provisions. According to campaigners, just five employers are responsible for upgrading parental leave for nearly 650,000 workers, demonstrating how decisions by a relatively small number of large employers can affect hundreds of thousands of families.

Retail Sector Highlights Growing Gap Between Industries

Although some retailers have expanded their paternity leave policies, workers in other industries often have access to less generous arrangements. The difference is particularly noticeable in construction, manufacturing and agriculture, where many employees continue to receive only the statutory entitlement or a limited enhancement.

The Dad Shift’s analysis found that construction employs around one in 10 working men in the UK but accounts for approximately one in 15 recipients of statutory paternity pay. The figures point to a disparity between the sector’s share of the male workforce and its share of those receiving statutory support.

One possible explanation is the prevalence of self-employment in construction. Workers who are self-employed do not currently qualify for statutory paid paternity leave in the same way as eligible employees. A similar challenge affects many agricultural workers, most of whom are self-employed, according to the supplied research.

The disparity means that access to paid time off after the birth of a child can depend heavily on a person’s employment status and industry. While employees at some large retailers can receive several weeks of full salary, fathers working independently or for employers with limited benefits may have fewer options.

Construction and Manufacturing Employers Face Calls for Improvement

Examples from construction and manufacturing underline the uneven availability of enhanced paternity leave. Construction equipment manufacturer JCB offers two weeks of fully paid paternity leave, an improvement on its previous provision of three days.

Engineering company Rolls-Royce, which produces jet engines, marine turbines and technology for small nuclear power plants, also offers two weeks of fully paid leave. Its workforce is more than 80% male, according to the supplied report.

These policies demonstrate that some employers have improved their provisions without matching the six-week offers available at M&S and Tesco. The differences have prompted campaigners to question whether access to paid paternity leave should depend so heavily on an employer’s policy or a worker’s occupation.

Supporters of reform argue that longer paid leave can help fathers participate more actively in early childcare while providing practical support to their partners. They also say that limited statutory provision can make it difficult for families to share care responsibilities, particularly when taking additional unpaid leave would put pressure on household finances.

UK Statutory Paternity Leave: What Fathers Are Entitled To

Under the statutory arrangement described in the report, eligible employed fathers in the UK can take up to two weeks of paternity leave. Statutory paternity pay is set at £194.32 a week or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever amount is lower.

This means eligible fathers whose average weekly earnings exceed the statutory payment threshold may receive substantially less than their usual salary during leave. The resulting loss of income can make it difficult for families to take the full period of leave they are entitled to.

Some employers address this problem by topping up statutory paternity pay to an employee’s full salary. Others offer longer periods of paid leave, providing additional time away from work without the same reduction in income.

Campaigners argue that the statutory provision has not kept pace with changing expectations around parenting and shared childcare. They say the current arrangement can disproportionately affect lower-paid workers, who may be less able to absorb a temporary drop in earnings.

Campaigners Say UK Paternity Leave Falls Behind International Standards

Campaigners have long criticised the UK’s statutory paternity leave provision, arguing that it compares poorly with arrangements in other developed economies. The supplied research places the UK 40th out of 43 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries for the generosity of its paternity leave offer.

More than two decades after paternity leave rights were introduced in Britain, campaigners say the country has fallen behind other European nations in providing paid time off for new fathers.

The comparison has become an important part of the debate over reform. Supporters of longer leave argue that it can help families manage the first weeks after childbirth, encourage fathers to take a greater role in childcare and support mothers during recovery and adjustment to parenthood.

However, the availability of enhanced employer benefits means that the experience of UK fathers varies considerably. Employees at companies with generous policies may receive full salary for several weeks, while those relying solely on statutory provision face a much lower payment.

Retailers and Usdaw Discuss Parental Leave in Parliament

Retail businesses and shop workers’ union Usdaw recently held a roundtable discussion in Parliament to examine how changes to parental leave can affect working parents. The meeting was hosted by Labour MP Connor Rand, who previously worked as a researcher for Usdaw before being elected to Parliament in 2024.

Rand said paternity leave had played an important role in his own family life by allowing him to bond with his son and support his partner during the early stages of parenthood.

“Through the ups and downs, I could bond with my son and support my partner because of paternity leave. Too many dads in our country can’t do this. That’s bad for them, bad for their partner and bad for their children. It must change,” he said.

The discussion brought together businesses and worker representatives to consider the impact of parental leave policies and the differences between sectors. Supporters of reform argue that better access to paid leave can benefit employees and their families while helping employers attract and retain staff.

Labour MPs Call for Six Weeks of Paid Paternity Leave

More than 100 Labour MPs have called for improvements to the UK’s paternity leave system ahead of the upcoming budget. They have urged Andy Burnham to commit to reforms, arguing that the current arrangement places a disproportionate burden on fathers with lower earnings.

The MPs are proposing six weeks of paternity leave paid at 90% of earnings, capped at £1,200 a week. Their proposal would also extend the offer to self-employed fathers, who are currently excluded from statutory paid paternity leave under the arrangements described in the report.

Extending paid leave to self-employed workers could address one of the gaps identified by campaigners, particularly in industries such as construction and agriculture. However, any reform would require decisions on eligibility, funding and how payments would be administered.

The proposal would also represent a substantial change from the existing two-week statutory entitlement. Campaigners argue that a longer period of paid leave would give fathers more time to support their families without requiring them to rely entirely on employer-funded benefits or unpaid time off.

Government Review Expected to Examine Parental Leave System

The government is conducting an 18-month review of the UK’s parental leave system, which is expected to report later this year. The review could provide an opportunity to examine the statutory framework, the financial support available to new parents and the differences in provision across employment sectors.

Campaigners want policymakers to consider how paid leave can be made more accessible to lower-paid fathers and self-employed workers. They also argue that improving statutory provision could reduce the divide between employees at large companies with enhanced benefits and those whose employers offer only the legal minimum.

Any changes would need to consider the costs to government and employers, the design of eligibility rules and the potential effects on workers and families. The outcome of the review and any decisions announced in the budget will determine whether the proposed reforms move forward.

What Better Paternity Leave Could Mean for Working Families

The contrast between retailers offering six weeks of full pay and employers providing only two weeks highlights the uneven access to paternity leave across the UK economy. For new parents, the difference can affect how much time fathers can spend with their children, how they support their partners and whether families can share early childcare responsibilities.

Longer paid leave may also help employers offer more competitive benefits and support staff during major life changes. However, the benefits available to workers currently depend heavily on company policy and employment status.

Campaigners are calling for a stronger statutory offer that would give fathers more consistent support, regardless of whether they work in retail, construction, manufacturing or agriculture. Their proposal for six weeks of paid leave, including provision for self-employed fathers, is now part of a wider debate about the future of parental leave in Britain.

With the government’s review expected to report later this year and MPs pressing for action ahead of the budget, the question is whether the UK will move towards a more generous and consistent system. For many families, the outcome could determine how much time new fathers can afford to take away from work to care for their children.