Last checked: 7th November 2026.
The Parental Allowance planned for April 2029 is intended to help two groups get parental pay: eligible self-employed fathers, partners and adopters; and some people who are in work, out of work or have had gaps in their work. People in the second group will need to show they have worked and earned enough, even if they cannot get the usual payments. This is particularly relevant to people looking for paternity pay for self-employed fathers. At present, being self-employed does not by itself qualify someone for Statutory Paternity Pay.
This guide explains who may be able to get the new payment, how it differs from the payments already available to employees and what the Government still needs to announce.
The Parental Allowance planned for April 2029
The new payment is intended for people who cannot get the usual paternity or adoption payments because of the type of work they do or their work history. The Budget does not change the rules for employees who already qualify for Statutory Paternity Pay. Being self-employed will not automatically mean someone qualifies for the new payment.
People who may qualify for the new Parental Allowance
The Government has described two broad groups it wants the new payment to help. These four cards give examples of people who may fall within those groups. They are not four separate sets of rules:
Self-employed fathers
Fathers who work for themselves and cannot get Statutory Paternity Pay through their self-employment.
Self-employed partners
Partners of the baby’s birth parent, including those who do not work as employees.
Self-employed adopters
People who adopt a child and work for themselves, but cannot get the usual adoption pay. The exact rules have not yet been announced.
People with gaps or irregular work
People who have worked recently, are out of work or have had gaps in their work may also qualify if they have worked and earned enough.
The Government has not yet explained what people will need to have earned or how much work they must have done. It has not said how far back it will check. It is also unclear whether it will look at a business’s income before or after costs, or how it will count money taken from a limited company as salary or dividends. Rules for partners, adopters and people who have both a job and self-employed work are also still to come. Until these details are published, nobody can be certain they will qualify.
For example: a self-employed plumber expecting a baby in May 2029 may be among the people the Government wants to help. They will only receive the payment if they meet the rules when these are published. This is an example, not a promise that they will qualify.
Parental pay and the right to take leave
What is confirmed: parental pay
The new payment is intended to give eligible people money around the time of a birth or adoption if they cannot get the usual payments.
What is not confirmed: a right to leave
The announcement does not give self-employed people a new legal right to take time off work. The Government has not said whether it plans to introduce a separate right to leave.
Current paternity leave and pay rules
Under the current rules, Statutory Paternity Pay is paid to employees who meet certain conditions. Being self-employed does not qualify someone for this payment. Taking time off work and receiving pay are two different things. Since 6th April 2026, eligible employees have been able to take Statutory Paternity Leave from their first day in a job. However, they still need to meet the separate work and earnings rules to receive Statutory Paternity Pay.
Paternity leave and paternity pay are different
Time off: eligible employees can take one or two weeks of Statutory Paternity Leave from their first day in a job, as long as they give the required notice.
Pay: to get Statutory Paternity Pay, an employee will usually need to have worked for the same employer for at least 26 weeks by the relevant week and earn an average of at least £129 a week.
For adoption, the relevant week is linked to when the adoption agency matches the child with the adopter, rather than the week a baby is due. The rules for time off and pay are different. Our Employment Rights Changes 2026 guide explains other changes to employee rights.
Existing Statutory Paternity Pay
Paid by an employer to an employee who meets the rules on how long they have worked there, how much they earn and their relationship to the child. They must also give the right notice.
New Parental Allowance
A new payment for eligible fathers, partners and adopters who cannot get the usual employee payments. The rules about how much work and earnings are needed have not yet been announced.
Adoption and surrogacy have separate rules under the current system. The Budget expressly refers to adopters, but does not explain the detailed adoption rules or whether intended parents through surrogacy will be included.
The current employee rules are set out in the official GOV.UK guidance listed in the sources section below.
Parental Allowance payment amount and duration
Payment details not yet confirmed
No weekly rate announced
Amount
Not published
Length of payment
Not published
The existing Statutory Paternity Pay rate should not be assumed to apply to this new allowance.
What the Budget confirms
More than 150,000 parents a year
The Government expects the new allowance to benefit over 150,000 parents each year. This is an estimate of the number who may benefit, not a guaranteed number of successful claims.
Parental Allowance start date
Expected introduction
April 2029
The Government has confirmed the month, not an exact day. It has not yet said which birth dates or adoption placement dates will qualify.
Where the Parental Allowance will apply
Included
Scotland
England
Wales
Not covered by this announcement
Northern Ireland. No matching scheme is set out in the Great Britain announcement.
What should self-employed parents do now?
The detailed rules are not available yet, so there is no application to make and no confirmed qualifying checklist to follow. In the meantime, people who may be affected can take sensible steps to keep their records in order:
- Keep records of self-employed work and income, including relevant invoices and accounts.
- Retain tax returns and other records that show earnings over time.
- Keep details of employment dates and earnings if moving between employed and self-employed work.
- For adoption, keep the relevant agency and placement paperwork.
These are practical record-keeping suggestions, not confirmed application requirements. The Government has not yet said what evidence applicants will need.
What happens next?
Early 2027
The Government’s wider Parental Leave and Pay Review is due to conclude. This is a separate review, but its findings may provide further context for future parental pay policy.
April 2029
The new Parental Allowance is due to be established.
We will update this guide when the Government publishes the payment rate, qualifying work and earnings tests, rules for births and adoptions, and the application process.
Parental Allowance
Frequently asked questions
Answers about the April 2029 change, who may qualify and what is still unknown.
Can self-employed fathers, partners and adopters get Parental Allowance from April 2029?
The Government plans to help eligible self-employed fathers, partners and adopters who cannot get the usual payments. It has not published the full rules yet, so being self-employed, having a partner or adopting a child will not automatically mean someone gets the money.
Will the new Parental Allowance be available in Scotland?
Yes. The Government has confirmed that the allowance will apply in Great Britain, including Scotland, England and Wales. The announcement does not include Northern Ireland.
How much is the new parental pay?
The payment rate has not been confirmed. The existing Statutory Paternity Pay rate is not automatically the rate that will apply to the new allowance.
Can unemployed people or those who have recently stopped working claim?
Some people who have worked recently, are out of work or have had gaps in their work may qualify if they have worked and earned enough. This could include someone who has recently stopped working for themselves. The Government has not said how far back it will check or how much someone needs to have earned.
Will this give self-employed parents a legal right to paternity leave?
That has not been confirmed. The announcement establishes a new parental payment, but does not set out a separate statutory leave entitlement for self-employed people.
Can I apply for the allowance now?
No. The scheme is planned to start in April 2029 and the application process has not been announced. There is no claim form or application route available yet.
What if I am a sole trader, company director or have more than one job?
The Government has not said how it will work out eligibility for people who have more than one job or a mix of employed and self-employed work. It has also not explained how it will count income for sole traders or company directors who take money as salary, dividends or both.
What if my baby is due before April 2029?
The payment is planned to start in April 2029, but the Government has not said how it will treat babies born or children placed for adoption around that date. A baby due before April 2029 will not automatically qualify.
Will the Parental Allowance affect Universal Credit or other benefits?
The Government has not said whether the payment will affect Universal Credit or other benefits that depend on your income. This will only become clear when it publishes the rules.
Will the new allowance be taxable?
The Budget announcement does not explain whether the Parental Allowance will be taxable or subject to National Insurance. The Government will need to publish the tax and payment rules before this can be answered reliably.
Will part-time, casual or irregular workers qualify?
Some people with gaps or changes in their work may qualify if they have worked and earned enough. The Government has not said how many hours someone must work or how much they must earn. Part-time or casual work will not automatically qualify someone.
Will the allowance cover surrogacy?
The announcement refers to fathers, partners and adopters, but does not explain how the scheme will apply to intended parents through surrogacy. The Government has not yet published the detailed rules, so this remains unclear.
Will I have to stop working to receive the allowance?
The Government has not said whether people will need to stop work, reduce their hours or take time off to receive the payment. The rules may be different from employee paternity leave.
Who will pay the Parental Allowance?
The Government has not said which organisation will deal with applications or make the payments. It has not yet explained how people will claim.
Parental Allowance
Official information and sources
Government announcements and current statutory eligibility guidance used to check this article. Source links are provided in the cards below.
01 · HM TREASURY
Budget 2026
Confirms the Parental Allowance for fathers, partners and adopters in Great Britain from April 2029, and explains the groups the Government expects to benefit.
02 · UK PARLIAMENT
Written statement on parental pay
Confirms the April 2029 start period, the Great Britain scope and the intention to include people with recent, unemployed or irregular work histories where they have sufficient work and earnings history.
03 · GOV.UK
Paternity pay and leave: eligibility
Explains the existing employee eligibility rules for Statutory Paternity Pay and Paternity Leave.
04 · GOV.UK
Statutory Adoption Pay: eligibility
Explains the current employment and earnings conditions for Statutory Adoption Pay.
This article is general information based on Government information available on 7th November 2026. The detailed rules for the new allowance have not yet been published and may change. Check the relevant official guidance before making decisions about your individual circumstances.