UK dads are falling behind: how does our paternity leave compare globally? 

Two weeks. 

That’s the amount of statutory paternity leave available to eligible fathers in the UK.

And while becoming a parent is one of the biggest moments in someone’s life, our latest research suggests the support available to new Dads can look very different depending on where in the world they live. 

In our newly released global paternity leave report 2026, we compared statutory paid leave available to fathers around the world, looking not only at how much time parents can take, but what that leave is actually worth financially.  

And the differences are striking. 

How much is paternity leave really worth? 

Comparing paternity leave isn’t as straightforward as counting the number of weeks available. 

Some countries provide lengthy periods at reduced pay. Whereas others offer shorter periods at a higher percentage of normal earnings. And in some countries, fathers have no statutory entitlement to paid paternity leave at all. 

So, to make comparisons more meaningful, our research considered the financial value of statutory paid leave and how this compares with average earnings in each country.   

The result? 

South Korea came out on top. 

Under the model used for our research, an average South Korean father could receive the equivalent of £17,803, compared with around £4,010 for an average UK father taking paternity leave and an equal share of available shared parental leave.  

When local purchasing power is taken into account, South Korea’s provision is worth 7.5 times as much as the UK’s.  

An average UK father could receive around £4,010 in paid leave. In South Korea, the equivalent figure is £17,803.

And what about time away from work? 

Money only tells half the story. 

We also looked at what the total value of paid leave equates to in weeks at the country’s average full pay. 

For the UK father in our model, statutory paternity leave combined with a 50% share of available shared leave works out at the equivalent of 7.6 weeks at full pay. 

In South Korea, it’s 43.4 weeks.  

Elsewhere in Europe, Sweden stands out. Its provision for the father in our model is worth the equivalent of 23.1 weeks at full average pay.  

The UK’s provision equates to 7.6 weeks at full pay. In South Korea, it’s 43.4 weeks.

But there’s another side to the story 

While the UK might appear less generous than some countries, millions of fathers around the world have no statutory entitlement to paid paternity leave at all. 

Our research identified 51 countries offering no statutory paid paternity leave to fathers in the model situation we analysed.  

That makes the global picture far from straightforward. 

And it raises a bigger question for employers: is statutory entitlement where support for new parents should end? 

Why should employers care? 

Paternity leave isn’t simply time away from work. 

The research highlighted in our report points to links between paternal leave and a father’s wellbeing. Paternity leave gives parents valuable time to bond with their child and support their family during the first few weeks and months of parenthood.  

For HR leaders, that makes paternity and parental leave an important part of the wider conversation around employee experience. 

And there’s been an important change for UK employers this year too. Since 6 April 2026, paternity leave has become a day-one employment right, with the previous 26-week qualifying period removed.  

So now feels like a good time for organisations to look again at what they offer, how clearly it’s communicated and whether their approach to supporting new parents reflects the employee experience they want to create. 

Where in the world is best for new dads? 

We’ve only scratched the surface here. 

Our global paternity report 2026 explores statutory paid paternity and parental leave across the world, including: 

• Which countries offer the most valuable paid leave 

• How the UK compares with the rest of Europe 

• How leave compares when converted into equivalent weeks at full pay 

• Which countries offer no statutory paid paternity leave 

• A searchable dataset for comparing countries. 

Dive into our global paternity report 2026 to explore the data and see how countries around the world compare.