Neonatal care leave and pay

Around 1 in 7 babies needs neonatal care after birth. Since 6 April 2025, parents get one week of extra leave for every full week their baby spends in neonatal care, up to 12 weeks — added on top of maternity, paternity or shared parental leave, not carved out of it.

How the entitlement builds

• Qualifying care: medical or palliative neonatal care starting within the baby's first 28 days and lasting at least 7 consecutive days (the “day 1” is the day after admission).
• Accrual: 1 week of leave per completed 7-day block of care — a 24-day NICU stay earns 3 weeks; the cap is 12 weeks however long the stay.
• Both parents qualify independently — each can take the full accrued amount.
• When it's taken: within 68 weeks of birth. In practice it's usually added to the end of maternity/paternity leave, replacing weeks that the hospital swallowed.

Notice and pay mechanics

While the baby is still in neonatal care ("tier 1"), notice is simply as-soon-as-reasonably-practicable and leave can start immediately — aimed at fathers whose 2 paternity weeks run out mid-NICU. Once the baby is home ("tier 2"), give 15 days' notice for one week, 28 days for two or more. The pay element (SNCP) mirrors other family payments: £194.32 or 90% of earnings, whichever is lower, through payroll.