What family-friendly benefits are UK employers legally required to offer?

UK employers must provide statutory maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental, neonatal care and parental bereavement leave and pay to eligible employees, plus unpaid parental leave, unpaid carer's leave, time off for dependants and the right to request flexible working. Most statutory family pay is £194.32 a week or 90% of earnings, if lower, for 2026/27. Anything above these minimums is voluntary.

What changed for family leave in April 2026?

From 6 April 2026, paternity leave and unpaid parental leave became day-one rights, so employees no longer need a minimum period of service to take them. Employees can also now take paternity leave after shared parental leave, and a new Bereaved Partner's Paternity Leave of up to 52 weeks was introduced. Statutory Paternity Pay still requires 26 weeks' service.

Which family friendly benefits do employees value most?

Enhanced parental pay and genuine flexibility tend to matter most, because they deal with money and time directly. The Working Families Index 2025 found that seven in 10 fathers who didn't take their full statutory paternity leave said money was the reason. Practical support such as back-up childcare and eldercare is valued most at the moment it's needed, which is why clear communication matters so much. A needs survey of your own workforce is the most reliable way to find out what your people want.

How much does enhanced maternity pay cost an employer?

The cost depends on salary and the length of the enhancement, because the top-up above statutory pay can't be reclaimed. As an illustration, topping up to full pay for 26 weeks for someone earning £40,000 a year costs roughly £12,000 before National Insurance and pension contributions. The statutory element itself is mostly recoverable, at 92% for most employers and 109% for small employers.

Do family-friendly benefits only help parents?

No. A well-designed package also supports employees caring for elderly or disabled relatives, people going through fertility treatment or pregnancy loss, employees experiencing the menopause and, through petcare, people whose pets are their dependants. Broadening support this way makes the package feel fair and increases overall uptake.