The UK has one of many “worst statutory leave offers for fathers and other parents in the developed world”, the chairwoman of the Girls and Equalities Committee has warned.
Sarah Owen stated the UK’s parental depart system was in “urgent need of an overhaul to fit with the reality of working parents’ lives”.
“The UK’s parental leave system has fallen far behind most comparable countries,” she added.
Her feedback come as a brand new report by her Home of Commons committee discovered {that a} most of two weeks’ paternity depart is “completely out of step with how most couples want to share their parenting responsibilities” and “entrenches outdated gender stereotypes about caring”.
Explainer: How paternity depart within the UK compares to different international locations
The UK’s fee of parental pay is “completely out of kilter with the cost of living, has not kept pace with inflation and is far below rates in most comparable countries”, the report states.
The Girls and Equalities Committee has urged the federal government to contemplate elevating paternity pay to the extent of maternity pay through the first six weeks, which equals 90% of somebody’s common earnings.
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It additionally known as on the federal government to both amend the Employment Rights Invoice to legislate for a day one proper to paid depart or decide to “considering this vital change within its review” in session with employers.
The report acknowledged that working mother and father “will be let down by a review that leads only to tinkering around the edges of the system”.
In its report, the committee additionally advisable a phased introduction of will increase to statutory pay throughout the system to enhance the charges for all working mother and father as much as 80% or extra of common earnings or the actual residing wage.
Moreover, it urged the federal government to contemplate choices for offering statutory paid depart for all self-employed working fathers as a part of its overview of the parental depart system, as the dearth of provision for self-employed fathers was “deeply unfair”.
The report suggests contemplating the introduction of a paternity allowance for self-employed fathers and different mother and father, just like the maternity allowance.
The upcoming overview into the parental depart system should look at the operate and necessity of eligibility guidelines, with a view to “simplifying or removing the employment status, time in service and earnings criteria”, the committee added.
