Paternity Leave - less than 6 months in job

stronglass

Hi everyone, appreciate any advice. Due my first baby this week! My partner just started a new job in Dec 24 so he is not entitled to paid paternity leave, he is going to take a week unpaid. However, it doesn't quite sit right with me. His change of job was due to him completing 22 years service in the Armed Forces, so he has not stopped paying tax and NI since he joined at age 18. It's a bit frustrating that he gets absolutely nothing. Can anything be claimed from the government? 

HampshireH

It is no different to someone working in any other job for a long period of time then changing to a new job.

Unfortunately your husband would have known what he paternity rights were when he left the armed forces and began a new job. 

Why can't he take paid leave?

Newbie_John

Unless his company had an enhanced paternity leave - otherwise statutory paternity leave is paid only £180 a week, so for many taking it still feels like unpaid leave.

I took a week of holidays instead as I couldn't afford to take paternity leave.

sheramber

HampshireH said:

It is no different to someone working in any other job for a long period of time then changing to a new job.

Unfortunately your husband would have known what he paternity rights were when he left the armed forces and began a new job. 

Why can't he take paid leave?

If he only started in December 24 he may not have any paid levae available.  

stronglass

Thank you all. I think he could take annual leave but he has another daughter from a previous relationship so is saving his annual leave for when we have her over the school holidays. We have budgeted for this unpaid time so it's not the end of the world, just a bit frustrating as he has had no break in paying tax and NI and it was the natural end of his time in the AF, its not like he chose the timing. I just wondered if he could claim anything from the Government for that week. 

HedgehogRulez

What does paying tax and NI have to do with it ?

EnPointe

HedgehogRulez said:

What does paying tax and NI have to do with it ?

in abstract, nothing , except the misplaced sense of entitlement some people have surrounding their perception of  beign a 'net contributor' when  often they are not , add in a  misplaced view  that some in the military  have of their value to society 

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/personalandhouseholdfinances/incomeandwealth/bulletins/theeffectsoftaxesandbenefitsonhouseholdincome/financialyearending2023