Paternity (or Partner) Leave often gets mixed up with Parental Leave, which is a completely different statutory right.

Paternity leave is time off work granted to the partner of a person with a newly born child or newly adopted child. As from April 2003, employees are entitled up to 2 weeks Ordinary Paternity Leave and Pay if they have 26 weeks service by the end of the 15th week before the Expected Week of Birth and have earnings greater than £102/week (£107.00/week as of 1st April 2012). Leave can be taken as two seperate weeks or a block of two weeks and must be within 56 days of the babies birth.  Notification to the employer of intentiaon to take leave should be in writing at least 15 weeks prior to expected date of birth, or within 7 days of being told you are matched for adoption.

Parental leave is a statutory right for either (or both) parents to take a total of up to 13 weeks unpaid leave before their child reaches the age of 6 years.  Leave must be taken in blocks of one week and no more than 4 weeks can be taken in any one year. Employers can postpone a leave request if this would not be in the best interests of the buisness, if so they must then agree a date when leave would be convenient.

New: Recent Change in 2011

For babies born after 3rd April 2011, mothers are able to return to work early (no sooner than 20 weeks after the birth of child) and that any remaining maternity or adoption leave and pay can effectively be "transferred" as additional paternity leave/pay rights to eligible fathers/partners.

Further information can be found in the following Advice Note or by following links to other useful sites.

Paternity Leave and Pay Advice Note (Word)
Paternity Leave and Pay Advice Note (PDF)

Where can I get more information:

The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) provides information and guidance on a wide range of employment and industrial relations matters. The service is confidential and totally independent. ACAS 's phone number is in your local phone book (08457 474747).

The Governments Directgov website provides full information and guidance on employment legislation relating to "Work and Families". The Directgov website compiles information from all Government depts. and is an excellent starting point for obtaining further information.