Two weeks is the first leave most second parents can take, and the statutory pay is small next to a higher salary. Planning it early means the income dip is a number you chose, not a surprise.
What you can take
- Up to 2 weeks of leave, together or as two one-week blocks. You get the same 2 weeks even with twins.
- A 'week' is the days you normally work in a week. If you work Monday and Tuesday, a week is 2 days.
- Leave cannot start before the birth, and it must end within 52 weeks of the birth (or due date if the baby is early).
- You do not need a precise date. A general time such as the day of the birth or one week after is allowed.
Who qualifies
GOV.UK says you must be taking time off to look after the child and be the father, the husband or partner of the mother (including same-sex partners), the adopter, or an intended parent in a surrogacy arrangement. For leave you must be an employee and give the correct notice; you qualify from the first day of employment.
For pay you must also have been employed by your employer up to the date of birth, earn an average of at least £129 a week before tax, and have been continuously employed for at least 26 weeks up to the end of any day in the qualifying week, which is the 15th week before the baby is due.
The pay gap
Statutory Paternity Pay is £194.32 a week or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower. It is paid like wages, with tax and National Insurance deducted. Many employers offer more, and cannot offer less than the statutory amount. Check your staff handbook before you plan.
To size the gap, take one normal week of take-home pay and subtract roughly £194.32 before tax. Multiply by two. That is the saving target for the fortnight if your employer has no scheme.
Notice
Tell your employer the baby's due date at least 15 weeks before it is due. To change your leave start date you must give 28 days' notice.
Combining with other leave
- You can take paternity leave and Shared Parental Leave in any order. See the [shared parental leave guide](shared-parental-leave-pay-how-to-plan-first-year).
- You can take paternity leave and unpaid parental leave in any order. See [unpaid parental leave](unpaid-parental-leave-18-weeks-childcare-gap).
- You can also take unpaid time off to attend 2 antenatal appointments, up to 6 and a half hours each.
Paternity leave covers the first fortnight. The bigger budget question is the year after, so pair this with your nursery budget and the Child Benefit charge check.
General information, not personal financial or employment advice. Official guidance checked on 10 October 2026. Use the GOV.UK sources below and your employer's policy to check your own circumstances.
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