Marvin OnumonuWorking Families research found UK parental leave is failing new families, with money worries forcing parents back to work early.
The Working Families Index 2025 found four in ten mothers said they could not take as much time off as they needed after the birth.
One in five fathers said they had no entitlement to parental leave at all.
Parents who had enhanced leave from their employer took more time off.
Fathers with enhanced leave took three and a half weeks longer than those without, while mothers took an extra six weeks on average.
Still, money decided how long most parents could stay off work.
Additionally, data showed that nearly half (47%) of parents said they could not afford more time off.
Seven in 10 fathers who did not take their full two weeks of statutory paternity leave said money worries stopped them.
Mothers who were worried about finances went back to work eight weeks earlier than those who were not.
Anna Whitehouse, campaigner, author and founder of Mother Pukka, said: “The UK’s parental leave system is stuck in the past.
“Two weeks of paternity leave, if you’re even entitled to it, doesn’t cut it.
“It’s not enough time to support a partner recovering from birth, not enough time to find your feet as a new parent, and certainly not enough time to build anything close to equality at home.”
Whitehouse added: “When dads are forced back to work after days, not weeks, the pressure piles on mums – physically, mentally, emotionally.
“Decent paid leave for both parents shouldn’t just be on a wish list, it’s the way we build stronger families, healthier workplaces and a more equal future for the next generation.”
Elliott Rae, speaker, author and founder of Parenting Out Loud, said: “These findings confirm what so many dads have experienced for years: paternity leave in the UK simply isn’t good enough.
“Two weeks, often unpaid or low paid, doesn’t give fathers the chance to properly support their partner, care for their baby, or adjust to life as a new parent.
“When dads can’t take time off, the pressure lands heavily on mothers. This isn’t just a dads’ issue – this is about supporting the whole family.”
Rae added: “If we’re serious about equality, serious about mental health, and serious about giving children the best start in life, we need to rethink our parental leave system.
“That means better paid, longer paternity leave and a cultural shift that values dads as caregivers, not just breadwinners.”
Jane van Zyl, CEO at Working Families, said: “The UK’s approach to parental leave is putting new parents under immense financial pressures.
“Families are being forced to make impossible choices at the most critical time, often returning to work before they’re ready, simply because they can’t afford not to.
“Our research shows that when decent parental leave is on offer, parents take it. But too many still don’t have access to adequate parental leave.”
