April 2025 sees the important introduction of Neonatal Care Leave. These new rules aim to better support families with babies who need special care after birth.
So what is changing, and how might it affect you?
What’s changing?
More paid leave for parents
The biggest change is that from April 2025, parents are entitled to up to 12 weeks of paid neonatal care leave. This is completely separate from regular maternity, paternity, or shared parental leave. The leave is a “day one” right, meaning employees don’t need to have worked for their employer for a minimum period to qualify.
This means if a baby needs to stay in hospital for special care after birth, parents can take this additional time off work without worrying about using up their regular parental leave or losing income.
Who can take it?
Both mothers and fathers (or second parents) can take this leave. The rules apply to:
- Parents of babies who need at least seven days of specialised hospital care within their first 28 days of life
- Both biological and adoptive parents
- All employees (part-time and full-time)
How It Works
There are two categories of statutory neonatal care leave available, depending on when an employee takes the leave.
Tier 1
This begins when the baby starts receiving neonatal care and up to a week after the baby has been discharged from hospital. Neonatal leave under Tier 1 can be taken in non-continuous blocks of a minimum of 1 week at a time, up to 12 weeks.
Under Tier 1, notice for the leave must be given before the employee is due to start work on the first day of absence, or if this is not possible, as soon as practically possible.
For notice for pay, the employee must be given notice within 28 days from the first day of leave in which the period relates, or if not, as soon as possible.
Statutory neonatal care pay, from 6 April 2025, £187.18 or 90 per cent of average weekly pay if that figure is less than £187.18
The legislation does not require the notice in writing; it can be verbal.
Tier 2
Tier 2 leave applies only after the Tier 1 period ends. The entitlement to leave ends 68 weeks after the child’s birth and must be taken in one continuous block.
For a single week of leave and pay, written notice of at least 15 days before the first day of neonatal care leave, must be given by the employee.
For a period of 2 weeks or more, the notice must be given in writing a least 28 days before the first day of leave to which the period relates.
Why these changes matter
About 1 in 7 babies born in the UK need some form of neonatal care. Until now, parents of these babies faced a difficult situation – either return to work while their child was still in hospital or use up their regular parental leave or holiday leave during the hospital stay.
These new rules recognise the unique challenges families face with babies needing special care and give parents the time they need to be present during this critical period without financial worry.
What you need to do as a parent
If your baby is due around or after April 2025:
- Familiarise yourself with the new rules now
- Discuss the potential for neonatal leave with your employer before your due date
- Keep all documentation from the hospital about your baby’s care
- Know that you’ll need to provide your employer with evidence of your child’s hospital stay
Support beyond leave
The new rules also include provisions for:
- Better information sharing between hospitals and parents
- Improved mental health support for parents of babies in neonatal care
- Clearer guidance for employers on supporting affected employees
Final thoughts
These changes represent a significant step forward in supporting families during what can be an extremely difficult time. By providing dedicated neonatal care leave, the UK acknowledges that parents need to be with their babies during hospital stays without sacrificing their income or other parental leave time.
If you’re expecting a baby soon or work in HR, make sure you understand these new rights and how to access them when needed.
