Unpaid parental leave: the employer's guide to the 18 weeks

What is unpaid parental leave?

Unpaid parental leave is the statutory right to take time off to look after a child's welfare - settling them into a new school or childcare, spending more time with them, or being there when it matters. It's separate from maternity, paternity and shared parental leave, and it stretches much further: the entitlement runs up to the child's 18th birthday, per gov.uk.

The word doing the heavy lifting is unpaid. There is no statutory pay attached; the employee's job and employment rights are protected while they're off, but the time itself costs them their salary unless you choose to enhance. That's why take-up has historically been low - and why many employers have never actually processed a request. From April 2026, with the qualifying period gone, expect that to change.

Who qualifies from April 2026?

Employees with parental responsibility for a child under 18. Until this year they also needed one year's service; SI 2026/15 removed that qualifying period, making unpaid parental leave a day-one right from 6 April 2026 - part of the same package that made paternity leave a day-one right. The entitlement is per parent, per child: each eligible parent has their own 18 weeks for each child.

How much can an employee take at once?

The 4-week annual cap is a default, not a ceiling you must enforce: gov.uk is explicit that the limit applies "unless the employer agrees otherwise". If a parent needs six weeks in one hard year and you can accommodate it, you can simply agree.

Can an employer refuse unpaid parental leave?

No - and this is the rule most likely to catch a busy manager out. You cannot refuse unpaid parental leave outright. What you can do, per gov.uk, is postpone it, and only within tight rails:

• You need a significant reason - for example, the leave would cause serious disruption to the business.
• You must explain why in writing within 7 days of the request.
• You must suggest a new start date within 6 months of the requested one, and you cannot change the amount of leave requested.
• You cannot postpone at all when the leave is taken by the father or partner immediately after the birth or adoption of a child, or where postponing would push the leave past the point the employee qualifies (such as beyond the child's 18th birthday).

In other words: "not this month" is sometimes available; "no" never is.

What notice do employees have to give?

The default scheme asks for 21 days' notice before the intended start date, confirming the start and end dates. Where the leave is tied to a birth or adoption, it's 21 days before the expected week of birth or placement. Notice doesn't have to be in writing unless you request it - though asking for it in writing (or capturing it in your HR system) is sensible for everyone's sake.

How is it different from parental bereavement leave and carer's leave?

Three separate statutory rights get muddled under "parental leave" in everyday conversation. Side by side:

There's also the newest arrival in this family: bereaved partner's paternity leave, from 6 April 2026, for the awful case where a child's mother or primary adopter dies in the first year. For the paid leave types and current rates across the board, see our statutory rates 2026-27 reference; if you're updating your handbook, our HR templates are a head start.

How CoDash handles unpaid parental leave

CoDash tracks statutory leave types out of the box - unpaid parental leave included - with per-child balances that would be miserable to keep on a spreadsheet: 18 weeks per child, 4 per year, across an 18-year window. Requests route to the right manager, postponements and agreed exceptions are recorded, and the calendar shows cover before you approve. See time off and absence.

Frequently asked questions