On 24 May 2023, the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Bill received Royal Assent and became law.
When implemented, the Act will entitle eligible employed parents whose newborn baby is admitted to neonatal care to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave.
This leave is in addition to any other applicable leave entitlements, such as maternity and paternity leave.
The length of leave and statutory neonatal pay will be based on how long their baby receives neonatal care and will apply if they receive this care for more than seven continuous days before they reach 28 days old.
Bliss, a charity for babies who are born premature or sick, revealed that 1 in 7 babies born in the UK are admitted to a neonatal unit each year.
For parents of these babies, the experience can be traumatic and life-changing, which can be exacerbated by the previous inflexibility of the parental leave system.
This development is, therefore, welcome news for both parents and their employers.
However, disappointingly for families currently receiving support from neonatal care, access to statutory neonatal leave and pay is not expected to be until April 2025.