'Major gap' | 6 weeks' paternity leave for working dads could create £3bn in benefits to UK

Introducing a new six-week paternity allowance to support self‑employed and ‘worker’ fathers would generate a series of benefits worth nearly £3 billion per year to the UK, research has found.

The proposal, published today in a new Institute for Policy Research (IPR) policy brief, argues that providing paid leave for self-employed and worker fathers – including contractors or those in gig-economy roles – at the Statutory Paternity Pay rate (£187.18 per week) would deliver significant economic and wellbeing benefits for families and for UK society as a whole.