Policies, contracts, letters, guidance and HR support tools for UK employers.
View full library
A practical Paternity Leave and Pay Policy covering eligibility, leave, Statutory Paternity Pay, notice, employee rights and return to work.
1 Overview
1.1 We are committed to supporting employees who become parents and to ensuring that eligible employees can take paternity leave and receive Statutory Paternity Pay where they meet the relevant eligibility requirements.
1.2 This policy explains the arrangements for taking statutory paternity leave and receiving Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP), including eligibility, notice requirements, the amount of leave available and the employee's rights during and after paternity leave.
1.3 The organisation will administer paternity leave and pay in accordance with current UK legislation. Where legislation changes, the statutory provisions applying at the relevant time will take precedence over this policy.
2 Scope
2.1 This policy applies to all employees who may become eligible for statutory paternity leave or Statutory Paternity Pay. It covers employees whose partner is having a baby, adopting a child or becoming a parent through a qualifying surrogacy arrangement.
2.2 The policy should be read alongside the organisation's other family-friendly policies, including its Maternity, Adoption, Shared Parental Leave and Flexible Working policies where applicable.
3 General principles
3.1 The organisation will administer paternity leave and pay fairly, consistently and in accordance with the statutory framework applying at the time.
From 6 April 2026, statutory paternity leave is a day-one
To view in full, make a purchase
For more value, this is also found in our Full library and Parental policy templates
A Paternity Leave and Pay Policy provides a clear framework for managing employees who are taking paternity leave following the birth or adoption of a child. It explains the organisation's approach to eligibility, leave arrangements, statutory pay and the practical steps employees and managers need to follow.
A clear policy helps employees understand their rights and gives managers and HR a consistent process for handling paternity leave requests. It can also help the organisation plan for periods of absence, administer Statutory Paternity Pay correctly and ensure employees taking family leave are treated fairly and consistently.
A Paternity Leave and Pay Policy will typically cover:
The policy can be adapted to reflect different family and employment arrangements, including paternity following the birth of a child, adoption and qualifying surrogacy arrangements. It can also be used alongside other family-friendly policies, such as Shared Parental Leave, Adoption Leave and Flexible Working.
Statutory arrangements: The policy can explain the organisation's approach to statutory paternity leave and Statutory Paternity Pay, helping employees and managers understand the distinction between entitlement to leave and entitlement to statutory pay.
Enhanced arrangements: Where an organisation provides enhanced or contractual paternity pay, the policy can be adapted to explain the additional benefits available and any conditions that apply.
Family leave can involve a number of statutory requirements, notice arrangements and payroll considerations. A clear policy gives employees a straightforward explanation of their rights while helping managers and HR apply the organisation's procedures consistently.
It also helps prevent common misunderstandings, such as assuming that an employee's eligibility for paternity leave automatically means they qualify for Statutory Paternity Pay, or failing to make appropriate arrangements for an employee's absence and return to work.
2026 update: Paternity leave rules changed from 6 April 2026, including making statutory paternity leave a day-one employment right. The rules applying to Statutory Paternity Pay are different, so employers should ensure their policy and procedures distinguish clearly between entitlement to leave and entitlement to pay.
Tip: Paternity leave should be handled as part of the organisation's wider family-friendly approach rather than simply as an absence to be administered. Giving employees clear information, responding consistently to requests and planning appropriate cover can help the organisation support new parents while maintaining effective operational arrangements.
Use these best practice actions, recommended timescales and process stages to understand when and how the Paternity leave and pay policy should be used, helping ensure each step is handled consistently and appropriately documented.
Paternity leave and pay should be managed in accordance with the statutory family leave framework applying at the time. Employers should distinguish between an employee's entitlement to paternity leave and their eligibility for Statutory Paternity Pay, as the qualifying requirements are not identical.
From 6 April 2026, statutory paternity leave is a day-one employment right. Employers should therefore avoid using length of service as a reason for refusing paternity leave. Other statutory eligibility requirements still need to be considered, including the employee's relationship with the child and responsibility for bringing up the child.
Eligibility for Statutory Paternity Pay is separate from eligibility for paternity leave. The employee must meet the applicable statutory requirements, including the relevant continuous employment and earnings conditions. Employers should therefore check entitlement to leave and entitlement to pay separately rather than assuming that an employee who qualifies for one automatically qualifies for the other.
Employers should ensure that employees are given clear information about the notice and information required to request paternity leave and pay. HR and payroll should retain appropriate records of the request, eligibility checks, intended leave dates and payments made, particularly where dates change following the birth or qualifying placement.
Paternity leave can arise in different family circumstances, including the birth of a child, adoption and qualifying surrogacy arrangements. Employers should consider the circumstances of each request rather than applying assumptions based on the employee's relationship with the child's mother or the way in which the child is becoming part of the family.
Employers should consider how paternity leave interacts with Shared Parental Leave where an employee or their partner intends to use both. The organisation's family leave policies should be reviewed together so that employees receive consistent information and HR can correctly establish the order and timing of different types of leave.
Employees should not be disadvantaged, treated unfavourably or subjected to discrimination because they have requested or taken paternity leave. Managers should apply the organisation's procedures consistently and should not make assumptions about an employee's commitment, availability or career plans because they have taken family-related leave.
Payroll should establish whether the employee qualifies for Statutory Paternity Pay and whether the organisation provides any enhanced or contractual paternity pay. Any enhanced arrangements should be clearly documented so that employees understand what they will receive and managers do not make informal or inconsistent commitments.
Paternity leave requests can involve different statutory requirements depending on the date of birth or placement, the employee's circumstances, their length of service, earnings and whether other family leave is involved. Employers should check the rules applying at the time rather than relying on an old policy or historic understanding of paternity leave.
2026 update: The rules changed significantly from 6 April 2026, most notably making statutory paternity leave a day-one right. Employers should make sure their contracts, family leave policies, HR procedures, manager guidance and payroll processes have all been updated to reflect the new framework.
Tip: Do not treat paternity leave as simply another short-term absence. Give employees clear information about their rights, check leave and pay eligibility separately, record the arrangements properly and plan operational cover in advance. A consistent approach helps employees understand what to expect while reducing the risk of managers applying different rules to different employees.
Yes. This template has been designed for organisations of all sizes, including small businesses, charities and growing employers. It follows UK employment law best practice and can be adapted to suit your organisation.
Our templates are developed with UK employment legislation, Acas guidance and HR best practice in mind and are reviewed and updated as relevant requirements change. However, every employment situation is different, so the template should be adapted to the circumstances and checked against the employee's contract and your organisation's procedures before use.
Yes, we highlight the areas of the document that you need to update with your own details, and where you need to make decisions to suit your situation. This saves you time and ensures that you meet best practice.
Yes. Once purchased, you'll be able to download it instantly. Templates are provided in editable format (such as .doc or .xls) so you can customise them easily, and in PDF format for easy sharing.
If you're looking for broader support, we also offer toolkits and library bundles that include the Paternity leave and pay policy template, along with other HR templates and policies for fully managing your situation. These may be more cost-effective if you need deeper advice.
AI can produce a document quickly, but effective HR documentation needs to be more than well-written words. It needs to reflect relevant UK employment law, HR best practice, practical considerations and the circumstances in which it will be used. These resources have been professionally developed around that wider HR context, drawing on extensive practical experience, rather than simply generating a generic document from a prompt.
Darryl Horn, Chartered HR Director
Darryl is a Chartered HR professional with over 25 years' experience in senior HR and employee relations roles.
He has extensive practical experience of managing parental processes and founded hrdocbox to provide businesses with practical, professionally developed HR resources grounded in UK employment law and best practice.
"Darryl provides support and advice with excellent judgement, and has a strong understanding of people, policies and UK employment legislation."
"He is someone I trust; consistent, dependable, and committed to doing things properly."
Parental policies
4 templates
£34.90
Whether you employ 5 people or 50, hrdocbox gives you the structure, documents and expertise needed to manage employees professionally and legally.
Professionally written and fully compliant with UK employment law
Access a free contract template instantly - or save 10% on any document today.
Use this code at checkout for 10% off anything!
Includes instant download, updates, and full access to your HR templates.
Handbook library
131 templates
Full library
776 templates