Which is the financially better option?

[HollyBollyBooBoo]

Feel like I am being really dim and I can't work out if there is a difference. I'd like to take an extra week off work so I can have a bit longer with my DD in the Summer.

Is there any difference between buying and extra weeks holiday, so this is deducted over 12 months from gross salary or taking 1 week parental leave, presumably will have 1 weeks less salary in that month.

As far as I can work out on both I effectively lose 1 week salary, company still pay pension. Can't see any difference?

I'd rather have it spread for budgeting purposes.
Plus for future mortgages I'd rather have a regular salary coming in that didn't need an explanation

Have it spread for PAYE.

There may be a difference when you can take it.

In my work, you pretty much have free dibs on when to take unpaid parental leave as its considered as part of a separate process. Whereas when you buy an extra week of leave you still have to book it in in accordance with normal holiday protocols (meaning school holidays are incredibly busy!).

It's for this reason I stopped buying a week a couple of years ago...i take two weeks annual leave in the summer holidays and then an extra 1 or two weeks unpaid parental leave straight after so I usually have the whole of August off... I give childcare as my 'reason' for parental leave and haven't been declined yet. I'd never manage to book an extra week of normal leave in the summer though!

Thanks all, mortgage wise I've just fixed for 5 years so no issue, also think work will be fine on when I take it. Spreading it out does seem better but overall to the year doesn't make a difference!