The Government has announced plans to change some elements of paternity leave but has not yet indicated when this will happen. The overall amount of paternity leave available is not increasing.
Currently, employees can take a maximum of 2 weeks' paternity leave within the first 56 days of the birth/adoption and if they choose to take one week's leave, they will lose their entitlement to the second week. They need to inform you that they want to take leave, and the dates they want to take it, by 15 weeks before the expected week of childbirth.
Under the new plans, employees will be able to choose to take two separate weeks of leave within one year of the birth/adoption. They will need to inform you that they are eligible to take paternity leave by 15 weeks before the EWC but won't have to tell you the dates of their leave until 28 days before they actually want to take it.
Further information