How Shared Parental Leave Works
Shared parental leave gives more choice in how 2 parents can care for their child.
Eligible parents who are sharing ewsponsibility for a child can get shared parental leave in their first year after:
- the birth of their child
- adopting a child
Eligible parents can get up to 50 weeks of shared parental leave.
How much shared parental leave eligible parents get depends on how much:
- maternity leave the birth parent has taken
- adoption leave the primary adopter has taken
The birth parent or primary adopter can take up to 52 weeks of statutory maternity or adoption leave. They must take a minimum of 2 weeks' leave after the birth or adoption. After this they can end their leave so the remaining can be shared between the 2 parents. This leaves up to 50 weeks of leave to be shared.
For example, if a birth parent stops their maternity leave after 30 weeks, they or their partner could take shared parental leave for the remaining 22 weeks.
It's the same amount even if the parents have:
- more than one baby, for example twins
- more than one child in the same adoption placement
Ways parents can use shared parental leave
Ways eligible parents could use shared parental leave include:
- the birth parent or primary adopter returns to work early from maternity or adoption leave and takes shared parental leave at a later date
- the birth parent or primary adopter returns to work and their partner takes shared parental leave
- both parents are off at the same time
- both parents share shared parental leave evenly and are off at different times
- both parents return to work at the same time and take shared parental leave at a later date
To get shared parental leave, there must be 2 parents sharing responsibility for a child.
Please see the policy below for further details. To apply, please complete the application forms below and submit your request at least 8 weeks prior to your requested start date,
You can register on the ACAS e-learning site and access a 30 minute course giving information on how this works, amongst ebing able to access other course content: https://elearning.acas.org.uk/
BEBCMAT policy - Key requirements for Shared Parental Leave (SPL):
|
Category |
Requirement |
|
Eligibility Criteria |
Share main responsibility for child’s care and be either: |
|
Statutory Leave Requirement |
Either parent must qualify for statutory adoption leave or maternity leave and take at least 2 weeks of leave |
|
Employment Criteria |
Employee must have 26 weeks of continuous employment by the end of the Qualifying Week (15th week before expected childbirth or adoption notification) |
|
Other Parent’s Work Requirement |
Other parent must have worked (employed or self-employed) in at least 26 of the 66 weeks before the Expected Week of Childbirth (EWC) or adoption placement |
|
Notice Requirement |
Both parents must submit required statutory notices and declarations to their respective employers |
|
Total SPL Available |
Up to 52 weeks, minus any maternity/adoption leave taken |
|
SPL End Date |
Must be used within one year of the child's birth or adoption placement—unused SPL is lost |
|
Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) |
Up to 39 weeks, minus any Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), Maternity Allowance (MA), or Statutory Adoption Pay (SAP) already paid |
|
Notice Periods |
|
|
Ending Maternity/Adoption Leave |
The leave must be curtailed with 8 weeks’ written notice, binding unless revoked under specific conditions |
|
Booking SPL Dates |
Employees can submit up to 3 separate SPL requests ALL LEAVE MUST BE TAKEN IN FULL WEEK BLOCKS |
|
Modifying or Cancelling SPL |
SPL dates can be changed or cancelled with at least 8 weeks’ notice |
|
Returning to Work |
If SPL exceeds 26 weeks, employer may offer a different but similar role Returning to work during school closure (holidays) between periods of SPL blocks means that employees cannot be asked to come into school or carry out duties that you would not normally ask any other employee to do. |
|
SPLIT Days |
These are keeping in touch days (KIT) but done whilst on SPL – up to 20 available |
|
ACAS E-learning |