Neonatal Care Leave and Pay Introduced
Alan Kitto
From 6 April 2025, eligible parents of babies who require neonatal care will gain a new statutory right to Neonatal Care Leave and Pay.
This entitlement will support parents whose babies are admitted to hospital for specialist neonatal care within the first 28 days of life. If the stay lasts 7 days or more, qualifying employees will be entitled to:
Up to 12 weeks’ Neonatal Care Leave, on top of their other parental leave rights
Neonatal Care Pay, subject to eligibility, aligned with statutory parental pay rates
The new leave can be taken in full weeks and must be used within 68 weeks of the birth. This measure is designed to ease the pressure on families during a challenging time and ensure job protection while caring for a baby in neonatal care.
We have produced a new Neonatal Care Leave and Pay Policy, for more information on this or any other HR matter, please get in touch.