Petition · past parliament
Extend Paternity leave to 6 weeks
Closed
204 signatures
What the petition asks
Statutory Maternity Leave offers up to 52 weeks of leave for mothers expecting a child. Paternity Leave for fathers only offer 2 weeks leave. In a society promoting equality in all aspects of life especially gender, what does this say about who should be responsible for raising a child?
The Government introduced Shared Parental Leave (allowing couples to share up to 50 weeks of leave) however the eligibility is limiting and the financial impacts are not always a positive. Men who take SPL can feel isolated, however are necessary for family units to thrive. Men need to be supported by society, not seen as choosing family over work. Taking a step backwards from SPL to extending paternity leave will help push forward equality, bettering the lives of the future generation.
Timeline
| 7 Nov 2018 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 7 May 2019 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
204
Status
Closed
Opened
7 Nov 2018
Closed
7 May 2019
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.