Daddy day 1 care

Paternity and parental leave rule changes to help out new parents

- BY DAVE BURKE Political Correspondent

DADS, like mums, will be entitled to paternity leave from day one in a job from April, under new rights being set out today.

About 32,000 more dads a year will be entitled to paternity leave immediately, as a mother would with maternity leave, says the government.

There will also be new day-one rights for unpaid parental time off and up to a year's leave for a bereaved parent if they lose their partner before a child's first birthday.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: "For too long, working people were left without the basic rights and security they deserve.

"That ends now.