Paternity leave

As a father or partner (male or female), if you will be sharing the main caring responsibility for your child, from 6 April 2026 eligibility for paternity leave becomes a day-one right.

In order to be eligible for paternity pay, employees must have worked continuously for the University for 26 weeks by the end of the qualifying week:

• for birth parents, this is 15 weeks before the baby is due,
• for adoptive parents, this is the week you are officially notified that you have been matched with a child. 

To apply for paternity leave you must apply by submitting a completed application form (a PL1 or a PATL(A) for those adopting) to your line manager and People Services by the deadline:

• for birth parents, this is 15 weeks before the baby is due,
• if you are adopting a child within the UK, this is within seven days of being officially notified that you have been matched with a child,
• if you are adopting a child from overseas, this is within 28 days of being officially notified that you have been matched with a child.

Completed application forms must be submitted to People Services via People Connect. Employees should complete the 'People Services - General Request Form - Connect' and upload your completed PL1 or PATL(A) form for processing.

You are entitled to take your two weeks leave at any point during the first 52 weeks of your child's birth or placement with you, and you can either take the leave in one block of two consecutive weeks, or two separate blocks of one week each. 

Please read the Paternity Leave Policy for full details. 

Ante-natal / pre-adoption appointments 

You may also take unpaid time off to attend two antenatal appointments or pre-adoption appointments. 

The appointments, in the case of birth parents (such as a scan, test or routine check-up) must be on the advice of a registered medical practitioner, and in the case of adoptive parents (e.g. to have contact with the child, or attend a meeting) must be at the request of the adoption agency. You will need written confirmation of the appointment to show your line manager. 

If you wish to arrange time off please discuss this with your line manager.

Shared Parental Leave

If you would like to take more time off to care for your child, you may wish to consider Shared Parental Leave. This enables a mother to opt to end her maternity leave early, or an adopter to end his/her adoption leave early, and to share the remaining leave and pay entitlement with you.

As a couple you can chose how to split the leave - you may decide to be off work at the same time or take it in turns to have periods of leave to look after your child.

From 6 April 2026, paternity leave can be taken before or after a period of shared parental leave.

Details are contained in the Shared Parental Leave Policy.

Bereaved Partner's Paternity Leave

In the very sad circumstance that a child’s mother or primary carer dies within 52 weeks of the child’s birth or placement for adoption, an eligible employee is entitled to take up to 52 weeks of unpaid Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave (BPPL) to care for the child.

 An employee will be eligible for BPPL where they meet all of the following conditions:

• They are the child’s father, spouse, civil partner, or partner of the mother or primary carer who has died.
• They have, or are expected to have, the main responsibility for the upbringing of the child.
• They are taking the leave for the purpose of caring for the child.

BPPL must normally be taken within 52 weeks of the child’s birth or placement for adoption. Where the bereavement occurs within 13 days of the end of that 52‑week period, the employee may take up to 14 days’ BPPL.

If an employee wishes to commence BPPL they can confirm this verbally to their Line Manager. The Line Manager should then liaise with People Services to confirm the dates of leave being taken.