To ask how you use unpaid parental leave

[yoghurtontoast]

Recently found out about unpaid parental leave (statutory right to 18 weeks in total per child, until their 18th bday - maximum of 4 weeks to be used in any year).

I understand it’s unpaid but it still seems ideal. If you only used one week in a month you’d get 75% of your normal pay which is better than maternity pay in any event!

I’m just thinking of how best to use it. I currently just have DD but we’d like another child at some point in the next few years. I’m not sure if I should make the most of it in the next few years while she is little, or save most of it for school years - if you use it what do you do?

I use it to cover more of the school
holidays and I’d use it after maternity if I ever had another child

I use a couple of weeks in the summer and a couple at Christmas. Or I might take off 3 weeks in a random month that includes a half term. You can request 4 weeks per year per child. 36 weeks for x2 children, for example. I couldn’t afford it really when mine were little but I’ve started using it frequently since they turned about 10.

It's not for emergencies as notice has to be given.

Do you know much about term time contracts @Sunshineandgrapefruit? I would love some practical info on how they work.

I took a week last year for the 1st time ever. Allowed me to take off a half term break with the kids that I otherwise didn't have leave left for.
DH has used a week each year for the last 3 years when he changed jobs and lost enhanced holiday.
Both of us previously worked part-time and now work full-time and it means we can spend more time on leave together and with the kids in their holidays.
It makes those months a bit tight financially, but if you can plan for it and stagger them and are in a position to trade off pay for leave it works well.
It is intended for parents to spend time with kids - you don't have to use it for something medical or worthy.

I do @WhereDoBrokenHeartsGo happy to answer any questions

I used it to care for my children when they were sick.

Do you get income tax rebate as well?

If you’ve been taxed as if you had the full year’s pay, but you didn’t, then yes your tax should be adjusted to reflect that. You might need to call up HMRC to get it sorted though.

This will be particularly beneficial for people whose pay is just past the edge of a tax bracket as losing a week’s pay could take them into the lower bracket.

We use it to cover the school holidays, probably on average 2 weeks a year, in 1 week blocks. At the moment I'm only PT so can't afford more. But when they're both at school and I'm working more I imagine we'll use more of it to enjoy some extended time together.

Not on the planet to work the whole time, if there's an opportunity for increased time off then sign me up. Tend to move a bit into savings on all the fully paid months to be able to top up the funds when using the parental leave.

I know know about school TTOs so assuming that's what you mean....Standard in schools round here is you get paid for the 38 working weeks of the school year plus 5.6 weeks holiday pay (no actual holiday time to take as you are off when school is closed)
That is then divided across the 12 months so you get the same salary every month regardless of half term/summer holidays etc

I used to take one week a year, then I changed employer and asked if I could take unpaid leave from day one as I wouldn't be entitled to parental leave. Since then I take odd days unpaid (normally 1 day per month). I don't notice the salary reduction but it means I get time with the dc every school holiday and some days off without them in months when there aren't any holidays.
Technically this means I probably have most of my 18 weeks (x 2) still available to use.

I took an extra 12 weeks unpaid PL after mat leave with twins (as a single mum) ended. You don't get any extra leave for having twins but I was so not in a state to go back... I have an older child as well, so my employer counted it as 4 weeks per child, for that year (as per statutory regulations). Together with saved and accrued annual leave, it meant I had almost 18 months off in total. I don't think I would have coped if I'd had to go back any earlier.

We have to give 2 months notice so emergencies isn't really the option

Ive started to use a week every summer hol.

I worked out that if i took my pay, paid tax, paid my rail ticket to the office, and forked out for full time camps for two kids, there's very little of that pay left..... so why do it? I want that time with the DC. I also buy extra holiday so I have 7 weeks off per year.

We have a two holiday with DH that i use annual leave for, then i take the parental leave elsewhere in the holiday and just have fun at home with the DC.

I take two one week blocks every year. Single parent, and children go to different schools so have different term times. Losing pay isn’t ideal but it helps to cover childcare.

Thanks for this, it will be my exact scenario (the week unpaid will put me back on basic rate)

Using it for the first time this year (one 8 year old) but plan to every year from now on or until she doesn't want my company in the holidays.

I only use it for when the kids are ill or when I’m genuinely stuck for childcare. I’m not keen to lose pay, I don’t get paid much as it is.

A friend of mine had to use some when her child was having half days at the beginning of starting school.

A lot of people don't seem to understand this is separate from unpaid emergency leave - it has to be booked in a planned way. I'm in Scotland so the 1st 4 weeks are paid. You can generally use a max of 4 weeks per child per year.
We didn't use any with DC1 before she started school.
My DH used his after DC2 was born (DC1 had just begun P1 at that point) so he got his paid paternity leave then 4 more weeks off with us - he used 2 of his paid weeks per child.

So I've got 8 weeks paid leave to use, 28 unpaid to use over the next 16 years (DC2 is nearly 2 now). DH has 4 paid and 28 unpaid left. Our plan is to use some to cover school holidays and the half day week when DC2 transitions to school.

When it was first brought in I was a teenager and my dad used a whole chunk to be off with me during my study leave for my exams. It was fab - he spent loads of time helping me revise, testing me on past papers etc. Our intention is to try and save up enough to do similar with our DCs once they're that age.

I don't know anyone that uses it to cover normal school holidays. Here it is generally used for planned surgery and hospital time for DC, as my DC will likely need surgery in the future and time off school for that I save mine for this eventuality.

I've just realised I've only a year until both dc's are 18. I should make the most of the parental leave left.

It's not something I've ever known anyone to use to be honest in our department and we'd know if they had as they'd obviously have had over normal amount of annual leave and because we all talk to each other. I don't think it would be accepted very happily even though it's in the contract as we are just so busy.

I disagree it's for emergencies though in my work as we get paid for stuff like that. I got a week paid special leave when my child was admitted to hospital and a day when another was sick and I've had two half days when I've been sent to hospital with them from doctors appointments.

It wasn't a thing when mine were young but my staff use it to cover a week of the long summer holidays, and that's what I would have used it for too. Thats where I always felt myself falling over with my eldest 2. Practically nowhere offered the hours I needed (most were 9 to 3 or 9 to 4). My kids weren't sporty.
I know the pre school years cost a fortune in nursery fees but they are geared up for working parents. It's a breeze compared to 14 weeks to cover on 5 weeks holiday

Single parent here. I didn’t use it at all in the nursery years or primary school years as there were always childcare/sports camp options available. Once they get to ~10, they start to age out of these options. Since that age I have taken 2 weeks per year, one in Easter holidays and the other at October half term. My child cannot be alone for long periods and planning in this way leaves me the more flexible annual leave to take in odd days throughout the year as needed. By having two separate weeks about six months apart, the unpaid part doesn’t bite quite so hard and can be planned for. It also helps (a bit like paying into a pension) to bring me down a tax bracket over the year!

You got me all excited. The first 4 weeks paid is for NHS staff only.