Can I share my partner’s maternity leave?

Yes, as long as both of you qualify for shared parental leave, and as long as your partner agrees. 

Your partner must take the first two weeks of maternity leave after giving birth (four weeks if they are a factory worker). This initial part of maternity leave is compulsory because of the need to take care of the health and safety of both the baby and the person who has given birth. The remaining leave can be split between you as long as they agree, and as long as you are both eligible for Shared Parental Leave. 

To be eligible to share your partner’s leave, you must: 

• have you partner’s agreement; 
• be an employee; 
• share primary parental responsibility at the time of the birth; 
• have 26 weeks’ service at the end of the 15th week before the due date. 

In addition, your partner must: 

• be employed, an agency worker, or self-employed in Great Britain for at least 26 out of the 66 weeks up to the due date; and 
• have earnings of not less than £390 in total across any 13 of these 66 weeks.