Equality at work: paternity and shared parental leave
Women and Equalities Committee
Closed
Inquiry
Unequal division of childcaring responsibilities is a key driver of wider gender inequality and the gender pay gap. The Women and Equalities Committee is examining options for reform of the statutory shared parental leave scheme and statutory paternity rights with the aim of identifying the most effective ways of incentivising …
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14
Recommendations
9
Conclusions
1
Report
3
Oral sessions
3
Events
Activity timeline 8 events
19 Sep
2025
2025
10 Jun
2025
2025
Report published
1 Apr
2025
2025
Oral evidence
1 Apr
2025
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
25 Mar
2025
2025
Oral evidence
25 Mar
2025
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
26 Feb
2025
2025
Oral evidence
26 Feb
2025
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 3 sessions
1 Apr 2025
View on parliament.uk
Women and Equalities Committee
Claire McCartney · Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
Jonny Briggs · Aviva
Nikki Pound · Trade Union Congress (TUC)
25 Mar 2025
View on parliament.uk
Women and Equalities Committee
Claire McCartney · Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
Jonny Briggs · Aviva
Nikki Pound · Trade Union Congress (TUC)
26 Feb 2025
View on parliament.uk
Women and Equalities Committee
Abby Jitendra · Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Alex Lloyd Hunter · The Dad Shift
Dr Gemma Mitchell · University of East Anglia
Dr Sarah Forbes · The Equal Parenting Project
Jemima Olchawski · The Fawcett Society
Joeli Brearley · Pregnant Then Screwed
Karla Capstick
Reports 1 report · click to expand
| Title | HC No. | Published | Items | Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6th Report - Equality at work: Paternity and shared parental lea… | HC 502 | 10 Jun 2025 | 23 | Responded |
Recommendations & Conclusions
2 results
10
Conclusion
Accepted
6th Report - Equality at work: Pat…
Services for new parents remain highly gendered, often marginalising men's caring roles.
The design and staffing of services for new parents caring for babies is highly gendered and can exclude or marginalise men, compounding cultural barriers to them taking a greater role in caring for their children. (Conclusion, Paragraph 69)
Government Response
The government acknowledges the important role of fathers and partners, referencing existing initiatives like the Family Hubs programme and "A Better Start" campaign that support families. It notes that while some related policy areas are outside the scope of the parental leave review, it will consider their interactions with possible reforms.
Government Equalities Office
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11
Recommendation
Accepted
6th Report - Equality at work: Pat…
Reduce cultural and societal barriers preventing fathers, especially working-class, from taking parental leave.
Alongside reforms of statutory paternity pay and leave entitlements, the Government’s review must consider steps it can take to reduce wider cultural and societal barriers to fathers taking more leave. It should in particularly consider steps to reduce cultural barriers …
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Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation, stating it will engage with stakeholders through its parental leave and pay review, conduct focus groups and roundtables, and collaborate with trade unions and businesses. It also plans to require employers to publish action plans promoting parental leave policies, provide clear guidance, and develop case studies to reduce barriers for fathers taking more leave.
Government Equalities Office
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