New fathers are thought to have been put off taking paternity leave during the coronavirus pandemic, fearful of losing their jobs.
With the UK’s unemployment rate set to rise above 7 per cent in 2021, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, experts believe fathers and non-birth parents could be less willing to take time off after a birth or adoption for some time to come.
“In terms of take-up of parental leave over the furlough period, I would expect there to be a significant decline in the numbers of people taking it,” says Jon Taylor, employment law specialist at EMW.