New fathers will be given right to take six months of paternity leave. Around 400,000 men a year will qualify for the right to extended leave from April 2011.
At the moment, they can only take two weeks off and new mothers can take a year off. Parents will be able to decide how to divide up a total of 12 months of parental leave between themselves. A mother going back to work after six months off will be able to transfer the rest of her leave to her partner.
They will be paid the statutory rate of £123.06 a week up to the 39-week cut-off period for women, after which the leave will be unpaid.