Millions of employees who previously lacked access to parental leave at the start of a new role will gain day‑one eligibility from April, as ministers presented fresh regulations linked to the Employment Rights Act 2025 to Parliament on 12 January.
The updated rules mean unpaid parental leave will be available immediately when an individual starts a new job, extending this flexibility to around 1.5 million additional parents and helping families share caring duties more easily.
Government estimates suggest that if just 1% of people currently out of work were able to take on part‑time employment because of these changes, annual economic output could rise by roughly £150 million. Around 390,000 people are thought to be out of work due to caring responsibilities but would like a job, including many parents.
Responding to the measures, alongside reforms to statutory sick pay (SSP), prime minister Keir Starmer said: “For too long, working people were left without the basic rights and security they deserve. That ends now. The changes we’re bringing in will mean every new parent can properly take time off when they have a child, and no one is forced to work while ill just to make ends meet. This is about giving working families the support they need to balance work, health and the cost of living.
“We’re delivering a modern deal for workers. Stronger sick pay, parental leave from day one, and protections that put dignity back at the heart of work. Because when we respect and reward those who keep Britain running, we build a stronger economy for everyone.”
From April, an estimated 32,000 more fathers each year will also be able to take paternity leave from day one of employment. The announcement comes as the government continues its Parental Leave and Pay Review, launched in July 2025, which is examining the wider maternity and paternity framework to identify improvements for both families and employers.
Business secretary Peter Kyle said: “No one should have to worry about whether they can take time off when their baby arrives, or lose pay simply because they’ve fallen ill. Our improvements to sick pay and parental leave are about giving workers and their families the security they deserve. They will ensure our drive for growth reaches everyone through providing secure, fair-paying jobs and giving support to people when they need it most.”
A new entitlement for bereaved partners will also take effect in April, offering up to 52 weeks of leave to fathers and partners whose spouse or partner dies before their child’s first birthday. Until now, such leave depended entirely on employers’ discretion.
Campaigner Aaron Horsey said: “Bereaved partners’ paternity leave ensures that new parents and their employers have a clear route for support at one of the most difficult moments imaginable. It gives them the time and space they need to grieve, care, and begin to rebuild their lives with dignity. By embedding this protection in law, it shows how listening to lived experience can lead to practical, compassionate change that will support families for generations to come.”
Simon Kelleher, head of policy and influencing at charity Working Families, added: “Day-one rights for paternity and unpaid parental leave are a positive step forward. Removing the 26-week qualifying period means parents can change jobs without losing essential leave entitlements, something we know has held many people back and can trap families in roles that no longer work for them.”
Further SSP reforms of abolishing the three‑day waiting period and removing the lower earnings limit are also due in April. The government expects these changes to support up to 1.3 million extra workers, particularly those in part‑time or lower‑paid roles.
Niall Mackenzie, chief executive of Acas, said: “It can be hugely stressful if a worker is not paid during an illness or dealing with a major life upheaval like a birth or bereavement. These new measures give greater protections for working people that get ill, and create capacity to handle unpredictable moments when they need it the most. Reducing stress and anxiety for staff can also help support good relationships with employers and support business growth.”
The four sets of regulations being introduced are:
-
Employment Rights Act 2025 (Parental and Paternity Leave) (Removal of Qualifying Periods etc) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026
-
Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave Regulations 2026
-
Employment Rights Act 1996 (Application of Section 80B to Parental Order Cases) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
-
Employment Rights Act 1996 (Application of Section 80B to Adoptions from Overseas) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
Additional SSP regulations linked to the Employment Rights Act 2025 are expected in the coming months, ahead of their introduction in April.
This article is based on a piece written for Personnel Today
