More time, better pay: What current and prospective parents want from parental leave
Think tank: Institute for Policy Research
Author(s): Dr Joanna Clifton-Sprigg; Dr Ana Catalano Weeks; Professor Kerry L Papps; Dr Alistair Hunt
October 13, 2026
This report from UK think take the Institute for Policy Research examines public attitudes towards parental leave reform through a survey of more than 2,500 people.
The UK’s parental leave system offers relatively long maternity leave but much of it is poorly paid, while fathers and partners have very little well-paid leave of their own.
This policy brief examines public attitudes towards parental leave reform through a survey of more than 2,500 people. The research finds strong support for giving both mothers and fathers access to more generous leave arrangements. Respondents favoured longer periods of well-paid maternity leave, with support rising substantially (27 percentage points) when maternity leave paid at 90% of earnings was extended from six to 26 weeks.
For fathers and partners, the level of pay mattered even more than the length of leave, with support increasing markedly (19 percentage points) when pay was raised from the statutory rate to 90% of earnings.
The findings support a coordinated package of reform: longer periods of well-paid maternity leave, at least six weeks of individually reserved leave for fathers and partners, substantially better pay and broad access to entitlements.
