Rejected petition Reform paternity leave to ensure fair and equal parental rights

We urge that the Government extends statutory paternity leave beyond the current two weeks, increases paternity pay to a level that makes it financially viable for all fathers and partners to take time off, and ensures equal parental leave opportunities for same-sex couples and adoptive parents.

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Improving paternity leave would support child development, strengthen family bonds, and help to close the gender pay gap by encouraging more balanced caregiving responsibilities. Reforming the system would better reflect the shared role of parents in raising children and help to create a more inclusive, supportive society for all families.
The current provisions do not reflect the needs of modern families or promote gender equality. We want the Government to reform statutory paternity leave.

This petition was rejected

Why was this petition rejected?

There’s already a petition about this issue. We cannot accept a new petition when we already have one about a very similar issue.

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You may wish to sign the following petition, which calls for similar action:

Improve statutory paternity leave in the UK to better support families.
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/708707

We only reject petitions that don’t meet the petition standards.

Date submitted 10 June 2025
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