Changes to parental leave will be formally set out in Parliament, marking a huge change and development in workers’ rights and giving parents new entitlements from day one of employment.

The reforms are part of Labour’s landmark Employment Rights Bill, which became law last December in the House of Commons and applies across England, Scotland and Wales. The government says the new measures will benefit an additional 1.5 million parents by allowing them to better balance work and their childcare responsibilities.

Under the new rules, all parents will be eligible for unpaid parental leave from their first day in a new job. Previously, employees had to work for a full year before qualifying, meaning many lost their entitlement if they changed employers. Ministers say the change will ensure parents no longer have to choose between job security and caring for their children.

From April, fathers will also gain the right to paternity leave from day one of employment, bringing them in line with maternity leave rights. Until now, dads were required to have worked for their employer for at least 26 weeks to qualify. The government claims this reform will stop parents being forced into what they labelled “heart breaking choices” between returning to work early or missing the first weeks of their child’s life.

Bereavement leave rights are also being expanded under separate new legislation. Fathers whose partner dies before their child’s first birthday will now be entitled to up to 52 weeks of leave. Previously, they had no automatic right to time off, even if they became the sole carer of a young child.

The parental leave changes come with wider package introduced by the Employment Rights Bill. These include statutory sick pay from day one of employment, a ban on zero hour contracts, the right to guaranteed hours and new protections for whistleblowers who report sexual harassment in the work place.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the changes are designed to put 'dignity back at the heart' of work. He said every new parent should be able to take proper time off when they have a child, and that no one should feel forced to work while ill just to make ends meet.

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