Data obtained by employment law firm Littler highlighted the number of men in receipt of statutory paternity pay (SPP) in 2023 was 195,300, despite there being 605,000 births in the UK last year.
The statistics also show uptake of statutory paternity leave fell compared with the previous year, when 204,200 men took it and 624,800 births were recorded.
The firm noted those who are out of work, self-employed or who do not have the requisite service with their employer would be unable to receive payment. However, the gap between the number of births and SPP claims “remains very significant.”
The law firm argued financial pressures on households after “years of high inflation” make SPP unattractive. The current weekly rate for SPP is £184.03 or 90 per cent of the person’s weekly earnings – whichever is lower. This is just 29 per cent of the average weekly earnings for full-time employees in the UK (£633), marking a significant reduction in pay for those who take the time away from work.
Mark Callaghan, Senior Associate at Littler, said he was surprised the rate of SPP had not increased over the years, claiming “it’s not good for families and it doesn’t help in changing attitudes towards the caregiving role of men.”
He called for the new government to increase SPP “in excess of inflation,” saying it would benefit businesses and families alike.
