Planning early helps everyone. Parents and employers should talk as soon as they can.
It is important to think about:
- when time off will be needed
- upcoming work demands
- childcare plans
- how work will be covered
From 6 April 2026, paternity leave can be taken after shared parental leave.
To work out how and when you can take shared parental leave, use the shared parental leave and pay planning tool on GOV.UK.
Starting shared parental leave
For either parent to get shared parental leave, the birth parent or primary adopter must either:
- end their maternity or adoption leave and return to work
- give their employer notice to end their maternity or adoption leave early
The end date for leave or pay can be in the future. This allows a parent to take shared parental leave while their partner is still on maternity or adoption leave.
If they are only entitled to maternity or adoption pay or maternity allowance, they can end this early. This will create entitlement to shared parental leave for the other parent if they're eligible.
A parent can only cancel a notice to end maternity or adoption leave if:
- it was given before birth and cancelled within 6 weeks of birth or placement
- the other parent dies
- neither parent qualifies for shared parental leave or shared parental pay, or maternity allowance
The birth parent or primary adopter cannot restart maternity or adoption leave once they've returned to work.
Telling the employer about shared parental leave
To use shared parental leave, parents must send a 'notice of entitlement'. They must do this at least 8 weeks before leave starts. They can give notice to book their first period of leave at the same time, but they do not have to.
The notice of entitlement must set out:
- how much maternity or adoption leave or pay, or maternity allowance, has been used
- how much maternity or adoption leave entitlement is left
- how much shared parental leave each parent plans to take
- the dates requested
- signatures from both parents
The other parent must give a signed declaration confirming:
- they share responsibility for the child at the time of the birth or adoption placement
- they agree to the shared parental leave and pay arrangements
- they meet the employment and earnings test
Employers should confirm they have received this notice.
Use our forms to tell your employer about shared parental leave
Booking shared parental leave
Parents must give their employer 8 weeks of notice when booking shared parental leave. They can do this at the same time as sending a notice of entitlement, but they do not have to.
They must include the start and end dates of leave when they give notice. Leave must be in blocks of whole weeks but can start on any day.
They must give notice in writing. For example in a letter or email.
Each parent can give up to 3 notices to:
- book one block of leave - this is called continuous leave
- book separate blocks of leave with work in between - this is called discontinuous leave
- change the dates of booked leave
Parents must give a change in writing with at least 8 weeks’ notice, unless the employer agrees otherwise.
Employers may allow more notices, but do not have to.
The employer can ask the employee to change dates of booked shared parental leave. If the employee agrees, this would not count as a notice to vary leave. The employee does not have to agree and must not be treated unfairly if they do not.
Use our forms to book shared parental leave
Continuous leave
Continuous leave is one block of leave. Employers cannot refuse continuous leave.
Example of taking continuous leave
Alex and their partner Jo decide to take 20 weeks of shared parental leave each.
Jo gives their employer 1 notice to take all 20 weeks of their leave in 1 block.
Alex wants to take 3 blocks of shared parental leave over the year. To make sure they get the dates they want, they give their employer 3 continuous leave notices.
They give 1 notice to take 10 weeks of leave from 1 January to 11 March. And then a second notice to take 5 weeks from 1 May to 4 June. They give their third notice to take 5 weeks from 1 August to 4 September.
This makes clear to the employer that Alex’s notices are for continuous leave and cannot be refused.
Discontinuous leave
Discontinuous leave is taken in separate blocks with work in between. Employers can refuse this if it does not suit the organisation. They should discuss another pattern with the employee.
If the employer does not agree a leave pattern within 14 days, the employee can:
- withdraw the request
- take the leave as one continuous block
If the employee withdraws the notice within 15 days, it does not count towards the 3 notices.
Example of discontinuous leave
Bo has 20 weeks of shared parental leave. They want to take discontinuous leave to fit around important work projects.
They give their employer 1 notice to take discontinuous leave. They request to alternate taking 2 weeks off, 2 weeks at work until they've used the 20 weeks' entitlement.
The employer agrees to this arrangement as it keeps Bo up to date with the projects.
Booking leave before the baby is born
A parent might want to book shared parental leave based on a number of weeks after a baby is born. This is because it's not always possible to know the exact date of the birth.
For example, they might ask to take 4 weeks of shared parental leave when the baby is 8 weeks old.
Holiday and shared parental leave
Holiday entitlement builds up as usual during shared parental leave. Employers and employees should discuss holiday plans early.
Some parents might choose to take holiday between shared parental leave blocks.
The employee should try to take their holiday entitlement within the workplace's holiday year wherever possible. If it's not possible, the employer might allow some holiday to be carried over.
If the baby is born early or prematurely
If a baby is born early or prematurely, the parent may not need to give 8 weeks' notice. This depends on how early the baby arrives and what leave they have already planned.
If the baby is born more than 8 weeks early
The parent does not need to give 8 weeks' notice if they have not yet booked shared parental leave.
They should give notice as soon as they can after the birth. It does not count as one of their 3 allowed notices.
Any leave that starts more than 8 weeks after the due date still needs the usual 8 weeks' notice.
If the baby is born less than 8 weeks before the due date
The parent can take the same leave they had booked for that period. They must tell their employer about the change as soon as they can. This notice will not count as one of their 3 allowed changes.
For example, Ali has booked a block of shared parental leave to start 2 weeks after birth. The baby is born 6 weeks before the due date. Ali can take their shared parental leave 2 weeks after the early birth. They just need to tell their employer as soon as possible.
If the baby needs neonatal care
If the baby needs neonatal care, employees might be eligible for neonatal care leave and pay. This is in addition to maternity, paternity and shared parental leave.
Find out more about neonatal care leave and pay
Changing how much leave each parent takes
Parents who are both eligible for leave can change how much leave each of them will take. They must tell their employer in writing that they want to vary their notice of entitlement. For example, in a letter or an email.
They must include:
- how much leave each parent plans to take
- a declaration signed by both parents agreeing the changes
They must also include the dates they want to start and end each period of leave. However, this does not count as a notice to book leave.
They should tell their employers as soon as possible.
If the child dies
If the child dies, the parents can still take the shared parental leave they've booked.
They can also either:
- decide to take less shared parental leave
- change discontinuous leave into one block of continuous leave
The employer might ask for 8 weeks' notice before the employee returns to work.
The employee cannot book any new blocks of shared parental leave.
Parents cannot apply for shared parental leave after the death of a child. The birth parent can still get maternity leave or adoption leave. The partner could still be eligible for statutory paternity leave.
If a parent dies
If a parent is eligible for shared parental leave and the other parent dies, they can:
- still take shared parental leave as planned
- transfer and use any shared parental leave due to be taken by the parent who died
If they want to book another block of shared parental leave or to change dates of booked leave, they do not need to give 8 weeks' notice but should tell the employer as soon as they can.
Even if they've already made 3 notices to book or change shared parental leave, they can make one more.