Parliamentarians from across the parties came together to hear new research from academics that have been assessing the cost benefits of improved statutory paternity leave and the need for better statutory provision for small and medium sized businesses (SMEs).
At the second meeting of the APPG for Family Friendly and Flexible Working, sponsored by TLT LLP, Wates and Zurich and partnered with Nottingham University Business School, the University of Bath presented the findings from a new research project that carried out a cost-benefit analysis of extending statutory paternity leave to six weeks at 90% of (capped) earnings, that would match the current offering to women. They found this reform could generate over £12 billion in net social benefits annually. As well as representing significantly better value for money than the current Shared Parental Leave scheme the study found improvements in family wellbeing and enhanced maternal employment, a catalyst for reducing the gender pay gap.
Read the full article on Working Families.
