Response to Department for Work and Pension’s Call for Evidence on Parental Leave

Response to Department for Work and Pension’s Call for Evidence on Parental Leave

The questions posed by the government are in italics with the submitted response below.

Economic growth through labour market participation: support economic growth by enabling more parents to stay in work and advance in their careers after starting a family, particularly to improve both women’s labour market outcomes and the gender pay gap; reduce the ‘motherhood penalty’; and harness benefits for employers

The key issue is that UK culture is based on the male being the primary breadwinner and the female as the caregiver. This goes beyond the first year, it becomes the norm throughout a child’s life.

This affects the labour market outcomes of both men and women – with pressure placed on men to ‘provide’ – work longer hours and places additional mental health burdens (especially those who are self-employed, in precarious employment sectors and in places where there is a scarcity of jobs).

The overall employment rate for UK men was 77.7%, and for women 71.7% in 2024 (OECD, 2025). A Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys report shows that to reach the Government target of 80% employment rate (Get Britain Working, 2024) requires an employment rate, if current patterns follow, of around 83% – an equivalent of an extra 975,000 men in work (Missing Men, 2025). It will also require more women to be in work too.

In addition, other ONS figures (ONS, August 2025) show that 3.3 million men in employment (18.8%) are working over 45 hours every week. Many of whom will be fathers. The female equivalent is 1.4 million (8.2%), albeit it is too high for both.

Men are also working longer hours – this is down to societal expectations that places the breadwinner burden on the shoulders of men and a need to ensure that family income remains broadly the same after the birth of children. The latest ONS figures (ONS, August 2025) show that 3.3 million men in employment (18.8%) are working over 45 hours every week. The female equivalent is 1.4 million (8.2%), albeit it is too high for both.

More women participating in the workforce, would reduce the time men spent in work to keep the overall family income at a sustainable level. This would also provide a benefit more men being able to be present in their children’s lives because they had the time.

The (OECD,2023) has also shown that reducing gender differences in those participating in the labour force could increase GDP by on average 9.2%. This is not just about increasing the number of women in work in general, but the type of work and occupation spread. It would include workers being better allocated across occupations and sectors too.

The Centre for Progressive Policy (Centre for Progressive Policy, 2023) found that 12 countries offering fathers 6 weeks or more paid leave reduced their gender wage gap by 4 percentage point, and 3.7 percentage point smaller gender labour-force participation gap, than 26 countries offering less than six weeks. All but one of the 12 offered fathers reserved paid parental leave (Fatherhood Institute, 2023).

The Nordic model of paternity leave (AZETS, 2025)—exemplified by countries like Sweden, Norway, and Iceland— offers a model that has many benefits. By offering generous (full pay or 80-90% of pay) non-transferable paid leave specifically for fathers (“daddy quotas”), these countries promote gender equality in caregiving, support for child development, and improved long-term economic outcomes.

Shared parental responsibilities enable higher maternal workforce participation, reduce gender pay gaps, and lessen the financial burden on families. Fathers who take leave are more likely to remain actively involved in childcare, which correlates with stronger child outcomes and reduced demand on public childcare services.

Moreover, companies benefit from more stable workforces and higher employee satisfaction, while society at large gains through improved mental health, increased tax revenue from working mothers, and more equitable household dynamics. Benefits that could be as high as a 10% increase in tax take from parents returning and remaining in employment and higher productivity due to better parental work balance. This would ‘pay’ for any increased costs on employers and taxpayers.

In short, the Nordic model demonstrates that well-structured paternity leave could well be an economically sound investment in human capital, family well-being, and inclusive growth.

Best start in life: ensure sufficient resources and time away from work to support new and expectant parents’ wellbeing and facilitate the best start in life for babies and young children, supporting health and development outcomes

There are benefits to paternal and maternal health and wellbeing including in early years.

There have been reviews on fathers’ parental leave being associated with lower depression and stress especially when on the basis of longer parental leave and also it being better paid. These papers (Lancet, 2023 and CORA, 2022) provide evidence of the benefits.

In addition, in a research paper written by the APPG on Issues Affecting Men and Boys on Male Suicide (APPG Men & Boys, 2022) highlighted that ‘life transitions; were an additional risk factor – this included being a father.

If the family have limited finances, this can exacerbate the issue further so a new father with the burden of being the primary or solus breadwinner who then loses his job – suffers from double pressure – and double risk suicide factors.

This paper (Life in Mind,2024) clearly shows that

One in 25 fathers of young children may experience suicidal or self-harm ideation.
The rates of suicidal or self-harm ideation for fathers are less than the rates for mothers of young children.⁶
Factors such as financial strain, social isolation and relationship difficulties can contribute to this suicidal and self-harm ideation.
Men during early parenting stages are twice as likely to experience depression as men in the general population.

The other aspect in respect to the mental health of the mother and father is how better involvement of fathers in the lives of boys (and girls) improves child outcomes. A hugely important summary from the Fatherhood Institute (Fatherhood Institute, 2023) of the impact on the attainment of children, minimising risk-behaviours and mental health.

Research led by the University of Leeds (University of Leeds, 2024) found that children do better at primary school if their fathers regularly spend time with them on interactive engagement activities like reading, playing, telling stories, drawing and singing.

Therefore, changing the UK culture of father breadwinner / mother carer is vital. Improving paternity pay and parental leave will support this. Plus lead to better outcomes for children too – as well as the mother, father, employer and economy.

Childcare: support parents to make balanced childcare choices that work for their family situation, including enabling co-parenting, and provide flexibility to reflect the realities of modern work and childcare need.

According to the latest ONS figures (ONS 2025) in the UK on men and women employed with children, 87% of fathers with a child aged 0-2 are in full-time employment compared to 37.4% of mothers.

If the burden of employment falls on the shoulders of men then they have less time to participate in housework and have shorter paternal time with their children.

There have been studies that show that when fathers take longer parental leave – then childcare is shared more equally at that time, and also then after the immediate post-partum period. Important research from Germany (Frontiers in Psychology, 2021) has shown this.

With thanks to the Fatherhood Institute for their support in this submission

August 2025