The UK has one of the least generous parental leave systems in Europe. For too long, parents and their families have been let down by an outdated system. This is why Pregnant Then Screwed is proud to support a collective call for a stronger and more inclusive parental leave system as part of the UK Government’s Parental Leave Review.

The Review, which launched last summer, is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform statutory parental leave and pay so that it works for all families, supporting gender equality, improving the health and wellbeing of parents and children, and ensuring that having a baby or taking on caring responsibilities does not push families into financial insecurity.

A fair system must reflect the diversity of modern families, including single parents, Black and Brown parents, kinship carers, adoptive parents, parents of disabled children, and parents facing serious illness. No family should be excluded from adequate leave or pay because of their circumstances or employment status.

We are therefore joining organisations, academics and experts across the women’s, men’s and family sectors in calling on the Government to commit to the following key changes:

We recognise that budgetary constraints may mean these reforms cannot all be delivered at once. But financial pressures should not mean lowering our ambition when an opportunity like this for families is unlikely to come along again in our lifetime. Once the Parental Leave Review concludes, we are asking the Government to make a clear political commitment to all changes now, even if their implementation needs to be phased over time.

Click this link to read our joint letter to the Prime Minister.