--- title: "Paternity Policy Changes 2024 - Blog - Keystone Knowledge" description: "Learn more about the changes made to the government's standard paternity policy in 2024" url: "https://keystoneknowledge.com/blog/paternity-policy-changes-2024-here-s-everything-you-need-to-know" date: "2026-06-26T02:49:25+00:00" language: "en-GB" --- [ Categories ](https://keystoneknowledge.com/blog/categories "Categories") [ Tags ](https://keystoneknowledge.com/blog/tags "Tags") [ Authors ](https://keystoneknowledge.com/blog/blogger "Authors") [ Archives ](https://keystoneknowledge.com/blog/archive "Archives") [ Categories: All Categories ](https://keystoneknowledge.com/javascript:void(0); "Categories") Search...Suggested keywords [ x ](https://keystoneknowledge.com/javascript:void(0);) [ Print ](https://keystoneknowledge.com/blog/paternity-policy-changes-2024-here-s-everything-you-need-to-know?tmpl=component&print=1&format=print "Print") # Paternity policy changes 2024 - here's everything you need to know [General](https://keystoneknowledge.com/blog/categories/general) [Pippa Lloyd](https://keystoneknowledge.com/blog/blogger/pippa) Monday, 04 March 2024 2025 Hits The UK government recently published draft regulations around changes to paternity leave policy, due to go live this week on Friday 8th March. The main change to the policy is that it allows fathers or partners to split their statutory paternity leave into single week blocks rather than having to take it all at once, as per previous regulations. There is also now greater flexibility around paternity allowances, meaning leave can be taken any time during the first year, as opposed to just within the first eight weeks after birth. In addition, where current legislation requires fifteen weeks notice before the birth to notify an employer before taking leave, the updated regulation has reduced each term of absence to a shorter four-week notice period. **What do these changes mean for employees?** - A shorter notice period for paternity leave means fathers or partners can be more flexible in accommodating the changing needs of their family. - An opportunity to spend time bonding with their child and family over a twelve-month period, rather than just the two months after the birth or adoption. - Given that paternity pay is often lower than an employee's normal earnings, it is sometimes the case that the employee cannot afford to take the entire two-week paternity leave period at once. Having the flexibility to split this into two week-long periods will help alleviate some of this financial pressure, meaning the father or partner is more likely to be able to use all of their leave with fewer concerns about the financial impact. **What do these changes mean for employers?** - Employees are now being offered shorter notice periods on paternity leave requests. For schools and trusts, the new four week notice period still leaves adequate time to arrange cover; whether in the classroom or elsewhere. - In reality, employees may also decide to make a decision sooner and early proactive communication around this may help to promote receiving as much notice as possible. Advance planning is advised and communicating important calendar events or projects will help to minimise disruption. - For schools and trusts, it is worth noting that employees may choose to take their week-long leave either side of half-term, which is something to be aware of in advance and planned for accordingly. - Make sure that current systems and processes are reviewed or adapted in order to be able to track and manage requests effectively. - Amendments will need to be made to all relevant policies, contracts, software and documents to reflect these changes. Managers will also need to be trained and made aware of these updates to avoid potential errors or misinformation. - Finally, don't forget to check for proof in the form of a MAT B1 form; more information on this can be found [here. ](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/maternity-certificate-mat-b1-guidance-for-health-professionals) It is also worth noting that these amendments do not have any impact on individual eligibility for paternity pay and there are no changes to eligibility for pay from previous policies. You can read the draft policy document in full on the government website [here.](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2024/9780348256116) If you have got questions or need advice around the proposed changes to paternity policy, don't hesitate to get in touch with us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We offer a series of options for your school or trust; from a quick-queries helpline to our full consultancy package. [Click here to find out more](https://www.keystoneknowledge.com/products/strategic-hr-support). [ 0 ](https://keystoneknowledge.com/javascript:void(0);) [ ](https://keystoneknowledge.com/javascript:void(0);) [ ](https://keystoneknowledge.com/javascript:void(0);) [ ](https://keystoneknowledge.com/javascript:void(0);) [ ](https://keystoneknowledge.com/javascript:void(0);) [ Multi academy trusts: Looking at the top slice ](https://keystoneknowledge.com/blog/understanding-mat-top-slice-increases) [ Are you conducting hidden internal scrutiny? ](https://keystoneknowledge.com/blog/is-day-to-day-school-improvement-your-pathway-to-internal-scrutiny-1) #### About the author [ ![Pippa Lloyd](https://keystoneknowledge.com/images/easyblog_avatar/932_pippa.JPG) ](https://keystoneknowledge.com/blog/blogger/pippa) ### [Pippa Lloyd](https://keystoneknowledge.com/blog/blogger/pippa) [ ](https://www.keystoneknowledge.com/) [ Pippa Lloyd ](https://keystoneknowledge.com/blog/blogger/pippa) Pippa Lloyd is a seasoned HR Director in education, known for her expertise in employment law changes and strategic HR leadership. With over 15 years of experience, she has guided schools and academies through complex HR transformations, focusing on workforce engagement and regulatory compliance. An FCIPD-qualified professional, Pippa is highly regarded for her insights into evolving employment legislation within the education sector. She frequently contributes to educational forums, sharing best practices in people management. ##### Author's recent posts [More posts from author](https://keystoneknowledge.com/blog/blogger/pippa) [ Wednesday, 30 July 2025 6 Benefits of Outsourcing Your School and MAT Finance Team ](https://keystoneknowledge.com/blog/school-finance-department-outsourcing) [ Tuesday, 08 April 2025 Before You Hit ‘Go’: 7 Priority HR Data Accuracy Checks for Implementation ](https://keystoneknowledge.com/blog/school-hr-data-accuracy-checks) [ Thursday, 20 February 2025 Change Management in Schools: The Ultimate Guide ](https://keystoneknowledge.com/blog/change-management-in-schools-the-ultimate-guide) ## Schema ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://keystoneknowledge.com" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Resources", "item": "https://keystoneknowledge.com/blog" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Pippa Lloyd", "item": "https://keystoneknowledge.com/blog/blogger/pippa" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Paternity policy changes 2024 - here's everything you need to know", "item": "https://keystoneknowledge.com/blog/paternity-policy-changes-2024-here-s-everything-you-need-to-know.md" } ] } ```