Petition · past parliament
Improve maternity and paternity leave support for working families
Rejected
16 signatures
What the petition asks
Increase the financial support to working families during maternity. The current financial support takes many families only to four months and father two weeks off to bond with their children. Both mothers and fathers forced back to work too soon.
The government have the power to change legislation on a larger scale, ensuring this is fairly provided across the UK. It reduces it being specific to individual companies, it can be widespread legislation to support all working families who are not considered due to their incomes. With the ever increasing cost living, households need two wages. Maternity is not enough to cover the mothers wage, and paternity is not enough for fathers to efficiently bond with their new born child.
Why it was rejected
It was not clear what the petition asked the UK Government or Parliament to do.
We understand that you want to see a change to the financial support for families during maternity and paternity leave, but we're not exactly sure what you'd like the change to be.
You may wish to sign one of these petitions which are currently open:
Increase Statutory Maternity Pay to 9 months at full pay: Increase Statutory Maternity Pay to 9 months at full pay
Change Statutory Maternity Pay to a percentage of weekly earnings with no cap: Change Statutory Maternity Pay to a percentage of weekly earnings with no cap
Increase statutory maternity leave and pay to 2 years at 75% pay: Increase statutory maternity leave and pay to 2 years at 75% pay
Extend Sure Start Maternity Grant and Healthy Start to all working mothers: Extend Sure Start Maternity Grant and Healthy Start to all working mothers
If you want the Government to change entitlements to maternity and paternity pay and leave in a different way to the above petitions, you could start a new petition explaining clearly what you would like the Government or Parliament to do.
You may wish to sign one of these petitions which are currently open:
Increase Statutory Maternity Pay to 9 months at full pay: Increase Statutory Maternity Pay to 9 months at full pay
Change Statutory Maternity Pay to a percentage of weekly earnings with no cap: Change Statutory Maternity Pay to a percentage of weekly earnings with no cap
Increase statutory maternity leave and pay to 2 years at 75% pay: Increase statutory maternity leave and pay to 2 years at 75% pay
Extend Sure Start Maternity Grant and Healthy Start to all working mothers: Extend Sure Start Maternity Grant and Healthy Start to all working mothers
If you want the Government to change entitlements to maternity and paternity pay and leave in a different way to the above petitions, you could start a new petition explaining clearly what you would like the Government or Parliament to do.
Timeline
| 11 Apr 2024 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 19 Apr 2024 | Rejected by the Petitions Committee |
Key facts
Signatures
16
Status
Rejected
Rejected
19 Apr 2024
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.