Leave and pay entitlements

To be able to take paternity / partner leave and pay you will need to meet the relevant qualifying criteria. You can check your eligibility and if you meet the qualification criteria by referring to the paternity / partner leave scheme section in the 'Family support leave policy'.

If you take paternity / partner leave you can choose to take:

Up to 6 weeks leave

These weeks can be taken in one week blocks and do not have to be taken consecutively

The weeks can be used at any point within the first 12 months of the child’s birth/placement

Paternity / partner leave can start on any day of the week but cannot be taken as odd days. The amount of time is the same even if there is more than one child e.g. multiple births or more than one child is placed for adoption as part of the same arrangement.

It is important that you discuss how you plan to take your paternity/partner leave with your manager at the earliest opportunity. This is so that support/cover for your work can be agreed in advance of you taking 6 weeks off either in one block or in a different pattern across the 12 month period.

If you qualify, paternity / partner leave is paid at full pay.