The 10 best UK employers for generous paternity leave

Paternity leave allows fathers and secondary caregivers to spend time with their new baby and support their partner. In the UK, statutory paternity leave is two weeks minimum, with a weekly rate of £184.03 or 90% of average weekly earnings – whichever is lowest.

To be eligible for statutory paternity leave, an employee must be the child’s father or be married to, the civil partner of, or the partner of the mother or birth parent. They also need to have been continuously employed by the same employer for at least 26 weeks.

Paternity leave policies in the UK are almost always less generous than maternity leave allowance – largely due to the now outdated cultural norm that fathers should be the “breadwinners” while mothers should focus more on childcare – so offering a generous paternity policy will make employers stand out to the best talent.

Many companies offer what is called enhanced paternity leave – this can mean a longer period of leave, extra pay, or both. Having such policies in place as part of a benefits package can entice and retain talent by helping employees feel valued and supported through the transition to parenthood, be it their first time or otherwise.

This article will look at some of the UK companies with the best paternity leave packages, so if you’re a business owner or HR leader, you can take inspiration for creating your own such policy.

1. Diageo

Alcoholic beverages company Diageo offers 26 weeks of fully paid paternity leave to its UK employees, and they can claim 52 weeks of leave in total.

Diageo enforced this policy in 2019, and it applies to employees regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, or whether they become parents biologically, via surrogacy, or by adoption. Taking this approach to your own paternity leave policy would ensure inclusivity for every family structure.

2. Mars

Mars, the multinational company most famed for its chocolate, offers its employees 26 weeks of parental leave paid at 90% of their salary. Those on paternity leave can take 52 weeks of leave overall, meaning fathers have the option to take a whole year off to spend time with their new baby – despite only receiving any pay for half of the year.

Working with your head of HR or HR team to create such a flexible policy that supports employees on paternity leave is a great way to foster mutual trust, retain top talent and make employees feel supported as they navigate parenthood.

3. Google

As of April 2024, Google offers a paternity leave allowance of 18 weeks at full pay. Google’s medical insurance plan also covers the costs of four rounds of IVF for its employees, as well as flexible working arrangements and back-up childcare support.

Over the next year, Google’s family planning benefits package will also include covering the cost of elective egg freezing, adoption and surrogacy.

4. Zurich Insurance

Zurich Insurance’s enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption policies are equal to one another, meaning all staff members are entitled to 16 weeks of full pay if they’ve completed 26 weeks of service. For those who have worked at the company for a length of time shorter than this, Zurich Insurance offers two weeks of full pay for paternity leave.

The insurance firm also offers additional leave for those whose babies are born prematurely, IVF support, miscarriage support, and bereavement and compassionate support.

5. Etsy

Small business marketplace Etsy offers 26 weeks of full pay for all new parents, including those becoming parents via adoption or surrogacy.

When returning to work, all Etsy offices have parent rooms primarily used by nursing mothers for pumping – however, they are gender neutral and have changing tables for babies too.

6. Fidelity International

Investment management services provider Fidelity International offers an enhanced policy that allows fathers and secondary carers to receive the same paid leave entitlement as mothers and primary carers – this equates to up to 26 weeks of fully paid leave that staff can take within the first 12 months of their baby’s life.

Offering the same enhanced leave packages for all parents helps employees feel valued and gives every parent the opportunity to adjust to family life for an extended period without financial stress.

Such policies are generous from an employer’s point of view, but the rarity of such benefits means they can entice the best talent to your business and help you retain your top talent too.

Read more: What are the rules for taking paternity leave in a new job?

7. Monzo

Monzo offers its employees paid paternity leave after they’ve worked at the company for 13 weeks, at which point secondary caregivers are eligible for three months’ paternity leave at full pay.

In addition, everyone working at Monzo has access to fertility and family-forming health benefits via Fertifa.

Employees who go through pregnancy loss are given ten days additional paid leave, and this includes those who are partners or surrogate mothers. It’s a great idea to include such additions to the parental leave package at your business, as employees will both appreciate and need these grace periods during such incredibly difficult moments.

8. Meta

Meta offers four months of fully paid leave for non-birthing parents. It also gives employees support for family planning, including adoption and surrogacy assistance, and a flexible spending account for dependent care – this means staff can pay care expenses for a child or parent with pre-tax money.

Meta also offers medical, dental and vision insurance for the whole family, as well as reimbursement for eligible expenses that support physical, mental and financial wellbeing and family care.

9. BT

As of January 2025, all parents working at BT will be able to take 18 weeks of leave on full pay after having a baby, then eight weeks on half pay and, after this, 26 weeks of pay at the statutory rate. This means employees will receive some form of pay throughout 52 weeks of eligible leave.

BT also offers flexible working for those in office-based roles, using what it calls a “3 together, 2 wherever” pattern of working.

Read more: what is the motherhood penalty?

10. Mastercard

Mastercard’s parental leave policy supports all employees who become parents by adoption, childbirth, or surrogacy regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or caregiver status. It includes 16 weeks of 100% paid leave, and employees maintain 100% of bonus eligibility during this time too.

Mastercard also offers flexible working to help with the adjustment to parenthood, with non-remote employees usually expected to be in the office around three days per week, and other days are to be worked from home.

Final thoughts

Enhanced paternity leave is still hard to come by in the UK, so a policy that is mindful of non-birthing parents will be attractive to new and current talent alike. Be careful to strike a balance between providing a great benefit for your staff and a policy that makes sense for your business.

If you’re in management at a new business, be sure to have this policy ready before your first employee requires it so they are aware of what benefits they are entitled to.

Kirstie Pickering - business journalist

Kirstie is a freelance journalist writing in the tech, startup and business spaces for publications including Sifted, UKTN and Maddyness UK. She also works closely with agencies to develop content for their startup and scaleup clients.