Maternity and Adoption leave

Statutory maternity and adoption leave both last for up to 52 weeks. Only employees are entitled to this leave. Agency workers and the self-employed do not qualify. Although the leave rules are broadly similar (while not identical) in the case of maternity and adoption, the rules on payment are not. This is explained further below.

Since 2011, maternity or adoption leave can be shared between the parenting couple if the mother decides not to take up her whole 52-week leave allocation. The rules about this period of leave, known as Additional Paternity Leave, are set out on page 228.

Relevant law: Maternity leave: The Maternity and Parental Leave Regulations 1999; Adoption leave: The Paternity and Adoption Leave Regulations 2002.