Thousands of working families with babies in neonatal care will
be entitled to additional time off as a day one right, the
government has confirmed today (Monday 20 January).
Currently, many working families across the UK are having to
return to work while their babies are sick in hospital, and these
measures aim to address some of the difficulties that thousands
of parents face when their baby is in neonatal care.
The Government is committed to providing the support families
need to allow them to be by their child's side without having to
work throughout or use up their existing leave.
Neonatal Care Leave will apply to parents of babies who are
admitted into neonatal care up to 28 days old and who have a
continuous stay in hospital of 7 full days or longer. These
measures will allow eligible parents to take up to 12 weeks
of leave (and, if eligible, pay) on top of any other leave they
may be entitled to, including maternity and paternity
leave.
The government has today laid regulations to implement the
change, which subject to Parliamentary approval, will take effect
from 6 April 2025 and follows the passing of the Neonatal Care
(Leave and Pay) Act in 2023.
This measure comes alongside the Employment Rights Bill and
delivers on the government's commitment to support families and
protect the payslips of working people as part of the Plan for
Change.
Employment Rights Minister said:
“Parents of children in neonatal care have more than enough to
worry about without being concerned about how much annual leave
they have left or whether they'll be able to make ends
meet.
“This entitlement will deliver certainty to them and their
employers, setting baseline protections that give them the peace
of mind to look after the one thing that matters most – their
newborn baby.”
Like many measures included in the government's other employment
rights reforms, neonatal care leave will be a day one right,
meaning that it will be available to an employee from their first
day in a new job.
Alongside the leave entitlement, Statutory Neonatal Care Pay will
be available to those who meet continuity of service requirements
and a minimum earnings threshold.
Founder of The Smallest Things, Catriona Ogilvy,
said:
“The Smallest Things is delighted to see Neonatal Leave and Pay
move one step closer to being available to thousands of parents
whose babies are born sick or premature.
'The stress and trauma experienced by families during a neonatal
stay cannot be underestimated. In an instant, their world is
turned upside down. No parent or carer should be sitting beside
an incubator worrying about pay or work.
"This much-needed additional leave and pay means parents and
carers can be with their baby or babies in hospital. We know the
journey doesn't end when it's time to go home. The new law will
give families essential time at home to bond, begin to recover
from trauma and to care for a fragile baby or babies without the
pressure of finances or returning to work too soon.
"This legislation is long-overdue and The Smallest Things is
overjoyed that – after tirelessly campaigning for 10 years to
bring the power of parent voices to change-makers – we are
finally on the brink of seeing this vital support become a
reality.”
Chief Executive at Bliss, Caroline Lee-Davey,
said:
“At Bliss we know just how important it is that babies born
premature or sick have both parents at their side in neonatal
care during their challenging first weeks and months of life,
playing a hands-on role in their care. By contrast, the lack of
additional parental leave rights for parents to date has forced
many to make the unimaginable choice to return to work in order
to pay their bills while their baby is desperately ill in
hospital. That is why Bliss is so proud to have led campaigning
for the introduction of the Neonatal Care (Leave & Pay) Act,
which will provide thousands of employed parents every year with
the assurance that they can take the time to be with their sick
baby when they need it most.
“We are delighted that the Act will be implemented from 6 April
this year and look forward to working with the Government and
employers to ensure that all parents who are eligible know about
this new entitlement, as well as the wider information and
support that they can access from Bliss throughout their neonatal
journey.”
Since coming to power, this Government has introduced the
Employment Rights Bill to upgrade workers' rights across the UK,
tackle poor working conditions and benefit businesses and workers
alike. This includes bringing forward 28 individual employment
reforms, from ending exploitative zero hours contracts and fire
and rehire practices to establishing day one rights for
paternity, parental and bereavement leave for millions of
workers.
The Government is also bringing forward measures to help make the
workplace more compatible with people's lives, with flexible
working made the default where practical, large employers
required to create action plans on addressing gender pay gaps,
support for employees through the menopause, and strengthened
protections against dismissal for pregnant women and new
mothers.
