For parents of children born or matched for adoption on or after 5 April 2015

Under this new system parents will be able to choose how they share the care of their child during the first year after birth. Mothers will still take at least the initial two week following the birth, following that they can choose to end the maternity leave and the parents can opt to share the remaining leave as flexible parental leave. Also under this new shared parental leave it is proposed to allow the husband, civil partner or partner of the pregnant women the right to unpaid time off to attend up to 2 antenatal appointments.

Launch date: 1/12/14

Managing sickness absence

A health and work assessment and advisory service is to be introduced, offering fee occupational health assistance for employees, employers and GPs. The service can provide an occupational health assessment after four weeks of sickness absence. Further information is available from  GOV.UK – Government response to the review of the sickness absence system in Great Britain.

Launch date: rolling out during 2015

New statutory pay rates

Statutory pay for maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave will increase to £139.58 per week.

Statutory sick pay (SSP) rate will increase to £88.45 per week.

Launch date:  5/04/2015

Statutory adoption leave and pay

The statutory adoption leave will no longer have the 26-week qualifying period, and adoption pay will be brought in line with maternity pay, which will be 90% of normal earning for the first six weeks.

Launch date:  05/04/2015

Parental Leave extended to 18

The right to unpaid parental leave will be extended to parents of any child under the age of 18 years.

Launch date:  05/04/2015

Surrogate parents eligible for adoption leave

Provided they meet the eligibility criteria parents who have a child through surrogacy will be permitted to take ordinary paternity leave and pay, adoption leave and pay and shared parental leave and pay. Both parents will also be entitled to take unpaid time off to attend two antenatal appointments with the woman carrying the child.

Launch date:  04/04/2015

All young people to be in education or training until the age of 18 (England)