Share the joy campaign offers the opportunity of shared parental leave to parents. Both mothers and fathers will have the chance to ‘share the joy’ by spending quality time with their new-born child.

The Shared Parental Leave (SPL) and Pay scheme (ShPP) helps eligible parents to combine work with family life. Parents can share up to 50 weeks of leave (SPL) and up to 37 weeks of pay (ShPP). They can also choose to take the leave and pay in a more flexible way.

If you are eligible for SPL, you can use it to take leave in blocks separated by periods of work, instead of taking it all in one go. You can also share SPL and ShPP between you and your partner, if you’re both eligible.

For example, a mother and her partner are both eligible for SPL and ShPP. The mother ends her maternity leave and pay after 12 weeks, leaving 40 weeks available for SPL and 27 weeks available for ShPP. The parents can choose how to split this leave and pay between them.

To check your eligibility visit https://www.gov.uk/shared-parental-leave-and-pay/eligibility

For more information, visit the government’s campaign website or the GOV.UK guidance page.