'This is a crisis' | Poor paternity leave is straining our mental health, fathers warn

New research has revealed a hidden crisis: 45% of UK fathers experience at least two symptoms of clinical anxiety or depression in their baby's first year. 

This figure is far higher than previous estimates, which suggested just 10% of fathers experience perinatal depression.

The polling from The Dad Shift and Movember found that nearly one in 15 new dads had experienced suicidal thoughts in their first year of fatherhood, and one in 12 reported frightening thoughts such as deliberately hurting their baby.

However, a clear solution also emerged: 82% of fathers said improving paternity leave is the single biggest action the government could take to support new dads' mental health. Yet the UK continues to offer the worst statutory paternity leave in Europe,  just two weeks at less than half the minimum wage.