M&S and Tesco offer fathers six weeks’ full pay, far above statutory leave
Retailers including M&S and Tesco are offering substantially more paid paternity leave than the statutory minimum, exposing a widening gap between retail and sectors such as construction, manufacturing and agriculture. Campaigners and MPs say the UK’s limited entitlement prevents many fathers from supporting their partners and bonding with their children, and are urging the government to improve it.
M&S and Tesco provide six weeks at full pay, while statutory leave is two weeks paid at up to £194.32 a week. Five employers have upgraded leave for nearly 650,000 workers, according to campaign group The Dad Shift and researcher Ian Dinwiddy; by contrast, JCB and Rolls-Royce offer two weeks at full pay. The article says the UK ranks 40th among 43 OECD countries for paternity leave, and notes that many self-employed workers in construction and agriculture have no paid entitlement.
In short
- M&S and Tesco offer six weeks of full-pay paternity leave.
- UK statutory leave remains two weeks at up to £194.32 weekly.
- MPs and campaigners want the government to improve the offer.
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The case for
More generous paid paternity leave can help fathers support partners and bond with their children, while easing the financial pressure that might otherwise keep families from using leave. Employers such as M&S and Tesco show that longer, fully paid leave is possible at scale, and campaigners argue that a stronger statutory entitlement would make this support available beyond a handful of large firms.
The case against
Extending statutory paid leave would increase costs for employers and could be difficult to deliver consistently, particularly for smaller businesses and sectors with tight margins or limited staffing cover. A cautious approach could preserve employers’ flexibility to offer benefits they can sustain, while avoiding a legal entitlement that may have unintended effects on hiring, pay or business viability.
Explained simply
UK law gives eligible fathers and partners up to two weeks of paternity leave, paid at a set weekly rate or 90% of earnings if that is lower. Some employers offer more generous terms, so the amount of leave and pay available can depend on where someone works.
M&S and Tesco are among the retailers offering six weeks at full pay. Other employers, including JCB and Rolls-Royce, offer two weeks at full pay; self-employed workers may not qualify for paid paternity leave.
The Dad Shift campaign group and researcher Ian Dinwiddy have compared employers’ policies. The wider debate is about whether current provision gives fathers enough time to support their families and care for a new child, and whether access varies too much between jobs.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Retail leads the way on paternity leave as government urged to improve offer”.