Paternity pay and paternity leave have different eligibilities
Paternity leave applies to the:
- Father of the child
- Mother’s husband or partner (this includes same-sex partners)
- Child’s legal adopter (who is not taking adoption pay and leave)
- Intended parent in a surrogacy arrangement
To qualify for paternity leave, a person must:
- Be an employee, and have been continuously employed for at least 26 weeks by the time the due date is 15 weeks away (the ‘qualifying week’)
- Notify the employer at least 15 weeks before the due date
To qualify for paternity pay, a person must:
- Be employed up to the due date, and have been continuously employed for at least 26 weeks by the time the due date is 15 weeks away (the ‘qualifying week’)
- Earn at least £123 per week before tax
- Notify their employer at least 15 weeks before the due date