UK Statutory Instrument
2014
United Kingdom
Shared Parental Leave Regulations 2014
These Regulations introduce a new entitlement for employees who are mothers, fathers, adopters, or prospective adopters, or the partners of mothers or adopters, or prospective adopters, to take shared parental leave in the first year of their child’s life or in the first year after the child’s placement for adoption. The Regulations are made in exercise of powers inserted into the Employment Rights Act 1996 by the Children and Families Act 2014.
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
12 compliance obligations, 4 practical guides
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Employer 8
- Employee 4
Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Other Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Employers also bound by 192 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 1998 176 duties
- The Income Tax (Pay As You Earn) Regulations 2003 2003 123 duties
- Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (current NI employment law) 1996 84 duties
- Employment Rights Act 1996 1996 56 duties
- Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 1989 52 duties
Employees also bound by 33 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- EU Regulation 561/2006 (Drivers' Hours) - Retained EU Law 2006 8 duties
- The Income Tax (Pay As You Earn) Regulations 2003 2003 6 duties
- Statutory Paternity Pay and Statutory Adoption Pay (General) Regulations 2002 2002 4 duties
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (England/Wales comparison) 2005 4 duties
- Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 2006 4 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Mother’s notice of entitlement and intention to take shared parental leave
- Give written notice of shared parental leave entitlement and plans Employee
Father’s or partner’s notice of entitlement and intention to take shared parental leave
- Give written notice of shared parental leave Employee
Variation of notice of intention to take shared parental leave (birth)
- Record employee‑supplied variations to shared parental leave Employer
Period of leave notice (birth)
- Receive and process shared parental leave notice correctly Employer
Continuous period of shared parental leave (birth)
- Allow continuous shared parental leave when requested Employer
Discontinuous periods of shared parental leave (birth)
- Respond to employee's discontinuous SPL request within 2 weeks Employer
Adopter’s notice of entitlement and intention to take shared parental leave
- Receive and keep employee’s shared parental leave notice Employer
Adopter’s partner’s notice of entitlement and intention to take shared parental leave
- Give written notice of shared parental leave entitlement Employee
Variation of notice of intention to take shared parental leave (adoption)
- Accept and update written changes to shared parental leave Employer
Period of leave notice (adoption)
- Give written notice of shared parental leave (adoption) Employee
Continuous period of shared parental leave (adoption)
- Allow continuous shared parental leave when employee gives notice Employer
Discontinuous periods of shared parental leave (adoption)
- Respond to employee request for discontinuous shared parental leave (adoption) Employer
Browse 35 other sections — procedural / definitional / commencement
Citation and commencement
Application
Interpretation
Mother’s entitlement to shared parental leave
Father’s or partner’s entitlement to shared parental leave
Calculation of total amount of shared parental leave available (birth)
Periods when shared parental leave may be taken
Supplementary evidence requirements (birth)
Variation of period of leave (birth)
Limit on number of period of leave notices or variations (birth)
Modification of eight week requirement for notices where child born early
Change of circumstances (birth)
Entitlement to shared parental leave in the event of the death of mother, father or partner, or child
Adopter’s entitlement to shared parental leave
Adopter’s partner’s entitlement to shared parental leave
Calculation of total amount of shared parental leave available (adoption)
Periods when shared parental leave may be taken (adoption)
Supplementary evidence (adoption)
Variation of period of leave (adoption)
Limit on number of period of leave notices or variations (adoption)
Change of circumstances (adoption)
Entitlement to shared parental leave in the event of a disrupted placement or the death of adopter, adopter’s partner or child
Continuity of employment test
Employment and earnings test
Work during shared parental leave
Application of terms and conditions during shared parental leave
Redundancy : shared parental leave
Right to return after shared parental leave
Right to return after shared parental leave: supplementary
Protection from detriment
Unfair dismissal
Calculation of a week’s pay for the purposes of Chapter 2 of Part 14 of the 1996 Act
Contractual rights to shared parental leave
Service of notices
SHARED PARENTAL LEAVE IN SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- Acas — managing maternity leave and pay (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Recover statutory payments from HMRC (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Employee rights when on leave (KIT days, redundancy, holiday) (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Adoption pay and leave (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Shared Parental Leave and Pay — employer guide (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Maternity pay and leave — employee guide (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Statutory Maternity Pay and Leave — employer guide (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Paternity pay and leave (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- ACAS guidance on Employment Rights Act 2025 (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
HMRC
PrimaryHM Revenue & Customs
Tax collection, customs duties, national insurance, tax credits, and enforcement of the National Minimum Wage. Regulates all UK businesses for tax compliance …
Employment Tribunal (England, Wales & Scotland)
Statutory tribunal under HM Courts & Tribunals Service. Adjudicates and enforces individual employment-rights disputes under the Employment Rights Act 1996 (Part XIII) …
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