Ealing Council Extends Paternity Leave to Eight Weeks
Offering above statutory minimum to attract and retain staff
Maternity and adoption pay have also been enhanced. Picture: AI generated
September 15, 2026
Ealing Council has announced what is believed to be one of the most generous paternity leave packages in local government, extending paid leave for eligible staff from the statutory two weeks to eight weeks. The change forms part of a wider overhaul of family-friendly employment policies designed to strengthen recruitment, improve retention.
The new offer marks a significant shift in the council’s employment strategy. Alongside the extended paternity leave, Ealing has introduced a retention payment for staff returning from maternity leave, recognising the challenges new parents face when returning to work and actively incentivising their continued careers within the organisation.
Maternity and adoption pay have also been enhanced. The council has increased full-pay entitlement from six to up to eight weeks, extended periods of half-pay, and widened eligibility criteria. Adoptive parents will now receive consistent support regardless of a child’s age, and a new one-month retention payment will encourage staff to return after adoption leave.
These measures sit within a broader package of cost-of-living support for council employees. A rental deposit scheme will help staff secure privately rented homes or bridge the gap between moving properties, while a childcare deposit loan scheme will support parents needing to secure nursery or childcare places. The council says these initiatives are designed to remove barriers to employment and progression, particularly for the 30% of its workforce who are borough residents.
Ealing’s cabinet member for inclusive economy and efficiency, Councillor Steve Donnelly, said the changes reflect the council’s values and long-term ambitions for its workforce.
“Equality, inclusion and strengthening relationships are at the heart of Ealing’s values, and we are putting these values into action through our new workforce policies. Children and families do best when they benefit from as many close, loving relationships as possible and we want to support them to build these strong foundations, right from the start,” he said.
“Cost of living support will help to break down barriers to employment and career progression. And in creating a modern, flexible working environment, we are making sure that we can recruit and retain the best possible talent to serve the people of Ealing, now and in the future. We are not only building a stronger council, we are building stronger communities.”
The move has been welcomed by campaigners and unions. George Gabriel, co-founder of The Dad Shift, called the policy “a massive difference to hundreds of working dads and their families,” adding that eight weeks of properly paid paternity leave gives fathers “a meaningful chance to support their partners, bond with their babies, and take their first steps figuring out what it means to be a father.”
Dean Mullins, GMB representative at Ealing Council, said the extended leave recognises the realities families face in the early weeks after birth. “Having additional paid leave available can make a significant difference, providing much-needed support during a critical time for both parents and children.”
Unison representatives Kemi Atolagbe and Mary Lancaster described the changes as “a genuinely progressive step that supports working families, improves retention, and reflects modern expectations of a fair, inclusive workplace.”
The updated policies also take a gender-neutral approach to parental leave, ensuring partners of any gender can access support. Alongside the boosted offer for parents, the council is continuing to develop wider measures including new career development pathways, apprenticeships and targeted retention packages for hard-to-recruit roles.
Like Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism. Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets. We've always done that and won't be changing, in fact we'd like to do more. However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do. We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area. A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site. One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute. If you do support us in this way we'd be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor. For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least one article a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you'd like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site. |