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Shared Parental Leave and Pay in the UK: How Parents Can Split Time Off

3 min read

In this guide
  1. What is Shared Parental Leave?
  2. How do you reduce maternity leave?
  3. Who is eligible (birth parents)?
    1. If both parents want to share
    2. If the mother’s partner wants to take SPL and ShPP
  4. How to apply
  5. Common mistakes
  6. FAQ
    1. Can I still take paternity leave?
    2. What about adopters and surrogacy?
  7. Key takeaways
  8. Related guides
  9. Sources

Quick answer: Shared Parental Leave (SPL) and Statutory Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) let two parents share up to 50 weeks of leave and up to 37 weeks of pay in the first year after a child is born or placed with them. Both parents must meet work and pay conditions, give notice to their employers, and the mother (or adopter) must reduce maternity or adoption leave and pay by the amount shared.

What is Shared Parental Leave?

You and your partner may qualify if you are having a baby, using a surrogate, adopting, or fostering a child you plan to adopt. You can take leave in blocks separated by periods of work or all in one go, together or staggered. Paternity Leave and Pay can be taken before or after SPL and ShPP; see our paternity leave guide.

How do you reduce maternity leave?

To share, the mother (or main adopter) must take less than the 52 weeks of maternity or adoption leave, and less than the 39 weeks of maternity or adoption pay (or Maternity Allowance). Example from GOV.UK: if the mother takes 22 weeks of Maternity Leave and Statutory Maternity Pay, she can share 30 weeks of SPL and 17 weeks of ShPP. Read our maternity pay and leave guide first.

Who is eligible (birth parents)?

Both parents must share responsibility for the child at birth and meet the work and pay criteria. You’re not eligible if you began sharing responsibility after the child was born.

If both parents want to share

  • Employed continuously by the same employer for at least 26 weeks by the end of the 15th week before the due date.
  • Stay with that employer until at least the week before SPL starts.
  • Be an “employee”, not just a “worker”. If one of you is a worker, you might be able to share ShPP but not SPL.
  • To get ShPP, each earn an average of at least £129 a week.

If the mother’s partner wants to take SPL and ShPP

The mother must have worked at least 26 weeks of the 66 weeks before the week the baby is due, and earned at least £390 in total across any 13 of those 66 weeks. The partner must meet the 26-week continuous employment and stay-with-employer rules above and be an employee for SPL.

How to apply

  1. Check you both qualify using the GOV.UK tool.
  2. Give notice to your employers.
  3. Reduce maternity or adoption leave and pay.

Common mistakes

  • Not realising that “worker” status can block SPL.
  • Starting to share responsibility only after birth.
  • Forgetting that sharing must happen in the first year.

FAQ

Can I still take paternity leave?

Yes, before or after.

What about adopters and surrogacy?

Different eligibility criteria apply; check GOV.UK.

Key takeaways

  • Up to 50 weeks’ leave and 37 weeks’ pay to share.
  • Both parents must pass employment and earnings tests.
  • Maternity or adoption leave and pay is reduced by what you share.

Last updated: October 2026. General information. Rates change; check GOV.UK.

Sources

  • GOV.UK: Shared Parental Leave and Pay

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