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Parental leave inconsistency pushes parents out of UK workplaces, data reveals

The LEIA UK Report 2026 found one in three parents left a job because their employer failed to meet their needs.

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Parental leave inconsistency pushes parents out of UK workplaces, data reveals
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Parental leave is not failing because of poor policy, but because of inconsistent delivery, according to the LEIA UK Report 2026.

The study found 76% of parents’ experience depended on their line manager.

One in three parents left a job because their employer failed to meet their needs. 

Across the UK, 33% of parents had no structured reboarding after parental leave. 

45% felt pressured to cut their leave short, with women more affected than men. 

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Nearly half had flexible working requests mixed or denied, despite organisations promising flexibility. 

Only 3% of organisations tracked parental leave outcomes properly.

Astrid Gyllenkrok, CEO and co-founder at LEIA Health, said: “The biggest surprise wasn’t that organisations lack parental leave policies. Most already have them. 

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“The problem is that delivery still depends on individual managers, making outcomes difficult to predict, measure or improve. 

“Organisations that standardise the journey and support managers consistently can reduce risk, improve retention and create a better experience for every parent.”

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The report also found a gap between what HR believes is in place and what parents actually experience. 

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Women were 1.4 times more likely than men to leave an employer due to poor parental support. 

41% of women said workplace parental leave policies influenced decisions about whether and when to have children.

Rachel Grocott, CEO at Pregnant Then Screwed, said: “This data reinforces what we’ve been hearing at Pregnant Then Screwed for years: that the lack of workplace support for mums and parents actively shapes family planning decisions, as well as impacting negatively on women’s career progression and pensions. 

“This isn’t just a workplace problem – it’s shaping the country’s future. 

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“Yet fixing this isn’t complicated: make parental support something parents can rely on.”

Grocott added: “Because no parent should have to just cross their fingers and hope for fair treatment when it comes to this most vital of life stages.”

Six priorities were identified for employers: standardise the journey, equip managers, reboard with purpose, measure retention and satisfaction, support wellbeing and normalise leave for all genders and levels.

Government leadership was called for with national standards, guidance and expectations.

Jane van Zyl, chief executive officer at Working Families, said: “No parent should have to rely on luck to get the support they’re entitled to. 

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“Employers want to do the right thing, but without clear national standards the system remains too inconsistent. 

“The government’s current review of parental leave is an opportunity to give employers clarity, parents confidence, and turn good practice into standard practice.”

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