Petitions/Review 26-week employment rule for maternity/paternity pay
StatusClosed
Opened17 Oct 2025
Closes17 Apr 2026
Government response
Parliamentary debateNot eligible
Milestones

The rule to be reviewed, as you can only get maternity/paternity pay if you have worked for your employer continuously for at least 26 weeks by the end of the 15th week before the baby is due, if you have worked continuously all your life you should be entitled to it regardless.

I think it’s unfair that if you have worked all your life and then change jobs during your partners pregnancy that you can’t get paternity or maternity pay if your not in the catch frame, as long as you have worked since you were able to you should be entitled to it regardless of how long you have worked for a certain employer. The rule needs to be reviewed.

10,000
100,000

Constituency engagement ranking

Luke Akehurst
1Luke Akehurst MP
North Durham
5
Mrs Sharon Hodgson
2Mrs Sharon Hodgson MP
Washington and Gateshead South
4
Yasmin Qureshi
3Yasmin Qureshi MP
Bolton South and Walkden
2
Grahame Morris
4Grahame Morris MP
Easington
2
Ms Diane Abbott
5Ms Diane Abbott MP
Hackney North and Stoke Newington
2
Liam Conlon
6Liam Conlon MP
Beckenham and Penge
1
Liz Twist
7Liz Twist MP
Blaydon and Consett
1
Alison Griffiths
8Alison Griffiths MP
Bognor Regis and Littlehampton
1
Ruth Cadbury
9Ruth Cadbury MP
Brentford and Isleworth
1
Martin Vickers
10Martin Vickers MP
Brigg and Immingham
1
Review 26-week employment rule for maternity/paternity pay — Petitions