Latest news with #TheDadShift
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
Why are less Scots having babies? The answer is very obvious
Making Scotland an easier place to be a parent could help tackle historically low birth rates. Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Scots are not having enough babies. In 2023, statistics showed the birth rate had fallen to 1.3 babies per woman - a historic low. At this point, our population is being sustained by migration. There are a lot of reasons for this, but poor parental leave and extortionate childcare costs are glaringly obvious factors here. This has been a hot topic in Holyrood this week. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Less Scots are having babies. On Thursday, Green MSP Mark Ruskell said he was 'embarrassed' at only being able to offer his staff two weeks of paternity leave. He said: 'I know the law is two weeks, but public institutions should go further. Reflecting on my own experience, two weeks is just not enough.' Two days earlier, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said too many women were being forced out of politics because of poor childcare options. She said: 'If we can't keep a hold of mums in politics, we lose a really strong voice for other mums out there struggling with childcare. If we can't do it for mums in Parliament, we can't do it for mums outside Parliament.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Two weeks ago the campaign group The Dad Shift demonstrated en-masse outside Holyrood demanding better parental leave policies. Most of these policies are reserved to Westminster, but it is clear there is a desire for change amongst Scots, including inside the devolved Scottish Parliament. Almost everyone - with the exception of UK Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch - will agree that maternity and paternity leave is far too low. Statutory maternity leave after the first six weeks is just £187.18 a week - for fathers, it is two weeks at the same rate. Considering the median weekly earnings in Scotland in 2024 was £738.70, it is obvious new parents are taking a massive financial hit here. But the length of time is a problem too, particularly for new dads. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad An obvious flaw in the system comes when you look at something as common as Caesarean sections. It takes around six weeks to recover and yet, for four of those weeks, mums are expected to get on with things on their own. We also need to remember that if dads take more time off work, mothers are less likely to take career breaks, which in turn would help close the gender pay gap. The Dad Shift wants to see six weeks of paternity leave at regular pay as the norm. This is what has been recommended to Westminster's women and equalities committee. Across Europe, the average paternity pay is eight weeks and the UK is ranked at the bottom. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Let us look at another sticking point - childcare. Yes, in Scotland parents can get 1,140 hours of funded childcare, but for most this is only after the child turns three. It also works out at around 22 hours a week, somewhat short of the up to 40-hour working week for the average Scot. The campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed found 75 per cent of mothers paying for childcare say it does not make financial sense for them to work. One in three are in debt because of childcare and one in four say childcare costs are more than 75 per cent of their take home pay. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Four in ten Scots who have an abortion cite spiralling childcare costs as one of their reasons.
BBC News
15-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Telford father's 'dad guilt' for being at work after birth
Joel Priddey feels "dad guilt" for not being around as much as he could have when his family needed him of being with his partner and baby daughter following a really difficult birth over Christmas, Joel said he was forced back to work because they needed the law entitled him to two weeks of paid leave on about £184 a week [now £187.18]. But with bills to pay and a new mouth to feed, it was not enough to support the household."Statutory pay would have covered the rent and nothing else," said Joel, who lives in Telford. "All my savings had been depleted. We'd been a single-income family for nine months because of a horrific pregnancy, so I either had to dig myself into a load of debt or bite the bullet and return to work."I spent a lot of time at work worrying about what was going on at home." Joel's employer gave him three days off work on full pay when his baby was born, and he took a further five days off using his annual employers offer extended paternity benefits, including additional weeks off work on full pay, but most do not.A first-of-its-kind protest, attended by about 200 people, was held in London this week by a campaign group calling for better paternity Dad Shift wants fathers and other birthing partners to receive a minimum of six weeks' leave on 90% of their wages, paid for by government as part of a new statutory package. "The system makes it so hard for fathers to be present, and this is the first time that we're aware of where dads have come together to strike to be more involved in their kids' lives," said Alex Lloyd-Hunter, co-founder of The Dad Shift."So many mums are just left to cope on their own - often after really difficult births involving operations."Mothers can't be expected to shoulder everything alone when there are dads that want to be more involved."The Dad Shift campaign has the backing of Joel's Labour MP, Shaun Davies, who has represented Telford since he won the seat last summer. He held a debate about paternity law in Parliament in November, which was well-attended by many working-parent said that "British dads have the worst deal in the whole of Europe, with paid leave at the rate of just half the living wage".The government has said it will be carrying out a review into the parental leave system, including the pay and length of leave available to fathers and birth partners.A spokesperson for the Department for Business and Trade added it was already in the process of ensuring men no longer needed to be employed for 26 weeks to be entitled to paternity leave. The Shropshire Chamber of Commerce, which represents businesses in the county, has welcomed the growing conversation about paternity rights, but has warned that extending leave and pay could "unintentionally make things a lot harder" for smaller executive Ruth Ross said businesses were already battling with rising costs and tight wants the government to take into account the financial and operational pressures that businesses are currently under when it considers updating the law. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Two weeks of paternity leave is just too little for the 21st Century'
As a new report describes the UK's paternity leave policy as "one of the worst in the developed world", we speak to a new father, a campaigner and a business group to see just what the problem is. "When my son was born there's a lot of happiness and joy, you have a newborn but this a huge change in your life," says Luis Palacio. "You find yourself being tired, sleep deprivation and I also like taking care of the newborn, but you're still expected to do eight hours at work," the technical manager, who lives in Leeds, explains. Introduced in 2003, statutory paternity leave, allows most new fathers and second parents in the UK to take up to two weeks off work. Luis says although welcome, a fortnight is not enough time "to adapt" to the huge changes fatherhood imposes. "Not only tangible changes in your daily life and routines, but the changes in your mental health. "Two weeks seems too little for the 21st Century," he adds. Fathers who are eligible receive £187.18 a week or 90% of their average earnings, whichever is lower. If a father is self-employed or earns less than £123 a week then he is not entitled to paternity leave. Some businesses may offer more generous policies as part of their benefits for employees. The statutory offer is the "worst in Europe," according to Alex Lloyd Hunter, the co-founder of campaign group The Dad Shift. Hundreds of fathers are expected to picket outside the Department for Business and Trade in London later calling for an overhaul of the UK's parental leave policies. Mr Lloyd Hunter says the average paternity leave across Europe is eight weeks on full pay. The most generous offer is Spain, which gives dads 16 weeks on full pay, while further north Sweden offers parents 90 days each and an extra 300 days they can share between them. "There are loads of examples of how to do this well," he says. Luke Charters, Labour MP for York Outer, agrees the system needs changing and has been advocating for a more generous policy. "Those few weeks at the start of a child's life are just so important and form that bond and connections," he ssays. That is something Mr Palacio is also aware of. "There are studies showing that if fathers don't get this bonding with their children from the beginning it can create a long term disengagement," he says. A report published on Tuesday by the Women and Equalities Committee says paternity leave rules "entrench outdated gender stereotypes" and that "bold" action is needed - albeit at a steep financial cost. The Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, which represents businesses across the area, says the "growing national conversation around parental leave" is welcome. Chief executive Louisa Harrison-Walker believes proposals to support working parents could "offer long-term benefits" to both individuals and businesses. "However, any changes to statutory entitlements must also carefully consider the financial and operational realities that employers – particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – are currently facing," she adds. Mr Lloyd Hunter says 90% of fathers want to be involved more in their children's lives and the system needs to "catch up". "Fathers recognise how important it is to be more involved in their chidren's lives. "As a society we are blocking that by not updating a system that was built for an era that no longer exists," he adds A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said the government was carrying out a review to see how it best can support working families. "This government is committed to making sure parents receive the best possible support to balance their work and home lives," they said. A spokesperson added it was already in the process of ensuring dads no longer need to be employed for 26 weeks to be entitled to paternity leave. The Dad Shift Sheffield Chamber of Commerce Department for Business and Trade Give new dads six weeks off work at nearly full pay, MPs say Shared parental leave skewed against lower earning families, analysis shows
Metro
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Metro
Six UK companies that give dads 52 weeks paid paternity leave, ahead of protests
Today, fathers from across the UK will be making their way to London to protest statutory paternity leave, holding their babies outside the Department for Business and Trade as part of the world's first 'dad strike'. The campaign is being organised by the Dad Shift, which argues that women will continue to face maternity leave discrimination if dads aren't afforded decent paternity leave offerings. It comes after Labour's employment rights bill, which promised a 'day one' right to paternity leave, failed to include the right to statutory pay. While mums can claim statutory maternity pay at 90% of their salary for six weeks, then £187.18 for the next 33 weeks, dads are entitled to far less time off work. Statutory paternity pay is set at £187.18 per week or 90% of men's average weekly earnings (whichever is the lower amount) for just two weeks, making it one of the least generous entitlements in Europe. And same sex couples face the same low payments (for example, a birth mother will be entitled to maternity pay while her partner – regardless of gender – is only able to claim statutory paternity pay for a fortnight). 'The UK's paternity leave is a national embarrassment and the calls for change are growing louder,' said Alex Lloyd Hunter, co-founder of The Dad Shift campaign. 'Now we just need the government to act.' Some companies do boost paid leave for their employees, but the latest Working Families Benchmark report found UK companies gave just five weeks of paid paternity leave on average in 2024. The result? Dads and partners are forced back to work early, missing out on valuable bonding time with their babies. Meanwhile mums are thrown in at the deep end caring for a newborn solo, often having barely recovered from childbirth themselves. It's why Pregnant Then Screwed has launched Let's Talk About Six, a campaign calling for fathers and same sex parents to have at least six weeks of paid paternity leave in the UK. There are a few companies who are ahead of the game though, giving new dads an entire year of paternity leave. So, if you're someone who wants to start a family or add to your brood, you might want to see if these businesses have any vacancies going. In 2019, Bain & Company, which is a global consultancy firm, decided to offer equal parental leave for all its employees in the UK. Honestly, we love to see it. This means that new parents, regardless of gender or how they became parents, are eligible for 52 weeks of leave. Essentially, whether you've given birth or your partner has, you've adopted or welcomed your little one via surrogacy, you're still eligible. Here, the first 29 weeks of that leave are fully paid, with it dropping after seven months (though still paid). In 2020, alcohol producer Diageo also introduced 52 weeks paternity leave for all parents. The first 26 weeks of this paternity leave are fully paid with it dropping after six months. If you've worked for Mars UK for more than a year you can also get your hands on 52 weeks of pat leave. You may have been stuffing your face with chocolate, but you can cash in on another sweet offering too. While the deal isn't quite as generous as its competitors, you still get 26 weeks paid at 90% of your yearly salary before it decreases further. When it comes to insurance, it's not just something you want in case of an accident, you want it when bringing a baby into the world, too. Knowing you won't need to return to work before you're ready shouldn't be a luxury, but here we are. And Aviva allows you to take 52 weeks of paternity leave, with 26 weeks at full pay. This is the case even if you and your partner both work there – no need to share the time off. Shared Parental Leave (SPL) was introduced 10 years ago with the aim of giving dads an equal opportunity to engage in parenthood – but campaign groups say it hasn't helped. The scheme allows parents to share up to 50 weeks of leave and 37 weeks of pay after the birth (effectively allowing the mother to transfer her maternity leave to the father after the first two weeks). Just 2% of couples take this up though, with Maternity Action calling for the 'failing' scheme to be scrapped. 'It's poorly paid, complex, and many working parents aren't even eligible,' the charity said. Manifest is a marketing company and it's also got a pretty decent deal on the table for new dads. More Trending Fathers will get 52 weeks off – all at 90% pay, so you don't need to worry about your funds getting smaller and smaller. We're manifesting this for our future selves too. Another insurance company on the list also gives new dads a full year off. If you work here, you'll be entitled to 16 weeks at full pay, a little bit stingier than its competitors but much better than the UK average. Pay the drops to 90% pay for the remainder of your time off. abrdn: 40 weeks Finimize: 38 weeks Accenture: 30 weeks Edrington: 30 weeks Deloitte: 26 weeks Oliver Wyman: 26 weeks Starbucks EMEA Ltd: 26 weeks University of the Arts London: 26 weeks FSCS: 26 weeks LGT Wealth Management: 26 weeks Baring: 26 weeks Phoenix Group: 26 weeks S&P Global: 26 weeks Fidelity International: 26 weeks Goldman Sachs: 26 weeks M and G: 26 weeks London Stock Exchange Group: 26 weeks MOD: 26 weeks Ferring Pharmaceuticals: 26 weeks Norvartis: 26 weeks Ashurst: 26 weeks Havas helia: 26 weeks Childrens Investment Fund Foundation: 26 weeks British Land: 26 weeks Knight Frank: 26 weeks JLL: 24 weeks 22 weeks Standard Chartered: 20 weeks UBS: 20 weeks Hodge: 20 weeks Financial Times: 20 weeks Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: I came out 10 years ago — this is what your teen daughter needs to hear MORE: I've applied for 38 jobs and got nowhere – I blame ageism MORE: The 7 top-paying UK jobs you don't need a degree for Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
'Two weeks of paternity leave is just too little for the 21st Century'
As a new report describes the UK's paternity leave policy as "one of the worst in the developed world", we speak to a new father, a campaigner and a business group to see just what the problem is. "When my son was born there's a lot of happiness and joy, you have a newborn but this a huge change in your life," says Luis Palacio."You find yourself being tired, sleep deprivation and I also like taking care of the newborn, but you're still expected to do eight hours at work," the technical manager, who lives in Leeds, in 2003, statutory paternity leave, allows most new fathers and second parents in the UK to take up to two weeks off says although welcome, a fortnight is not enough time "to adapt" to the huge changes fatherhood imposes."Not only tangible changes in your daily life and routines, but the changes in your mental health."Two weeks seems too little for the 21st Century," he adds. Fathers who are eligible receive £187.18 a week or 90% of their average earnings, whichever is a father is self-employed or earns less than £123 a week then he is not entitled to paternity businesses may offer more generous policies as part of their benefits for statutory offer is the "worst in Europe," according to Alex Lloyd Hunter, the co-founder of campaign group The Dad of fathers are expected to picket outside the Department for Business and Trade in London later calling for an overhaul of the UK's parental leave Lloyd Hunter says the average paternity leave across Europe is eight weeks on full most generous offer is Spain, which gives dads 16 weeks on full pay, while further north Sweden offers parents 90 days each and an extra 300 days they can share between them."There are loads of examples of how to do this well," he says. Luke Charters, Labour MP for York Outer, agrees the system needs changing and has been advocating for a more generous policy."Those few weeks at the start of a child's life are just so important and form that bond and connections," he is something Mr Palacio is also aware of."There are studies showing that if fathers don't get this bonding with their children from the beginning it can create a long term disengagement," he says. A report published on Tuesday by the Women and Equalities Committee says paternity leave rules "entrench outdated gender stereotypes" and that "bold" action is needed - albeit at a steep financial Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, which represents businesses across the area, says the "growing national conversation around parental leave" is executive Louisa Harrison-Walker believes proposals to support working parents could "offer long-term benefits" to both individuals and businesses."However, any changes to statutory entitlements must also carefully consider the financial and operational realities that employers – particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – are currently facing," she Lloyd Hunter says 90% of fathers want to be involved more in their children's lives and the system needs to "catch up"."Fathers recognise how important it is to be more involved in their chidren's lives."As a society we are blocking that by not updating a system that was built for an era that no longer exists," he addsA Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said the government was carrying out a review to see how it best can support working families."This government is committed to making sure parents receive the best possible support to balance their work and home lives," they said.A spokesperson added it was already in the process of ensuring dads no longer need to be employed for 26 weeks to be entitled to paternity leave.
