Closed petition Extend statutory paternity pay to the self-employed

Closed on 21 October 2022

I would like the Government to extend statutory paternity leave pay to self-employed fathers, enabling them to take the time off they need to bond with baby and support their partners without having to worry about leaving their businesses for 2 weeks.

Currently if a self-employed father wants to take time off when their child is born, there is absolutely no support from the government to help them do so. Instead, and unlike their employed counterparts, self-employed fathers must choose between working to support their family at this time, or taking time off but receiving no income. It makes absolutely no sense that one father employed by a company receives 2 week's statutory pay for paternity leave, but self-employed fathers receive nothing.