What is Neonatal Care Leave?

Neonatal Care Leave is a new statutory entitlement from April 2025 for parents of babies who require neonatal care. You can take up to 12 weeks of leave on top of your existing maternity, paternity, or adoption leave. It's available from day one of employment.

How much is Statutory Neonatal Care Pay?

Statutory Neonatal Care Pay is paid at the same rate as other statutory family pay — £187.18 per week or 90% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower. You need 26 weeks of continuous employment and to earn at least £125 per week to qualify for pay.

Who qualifies for Neonatal Care Leave?

Parents of babies who spend 7 or more consecutive days in neonatal care within the first 28 days of life. This includes both biological parents, adoptive parents, and intended parents through surrogacy. It's a day-one employment right — no minimum service required for the leave itself.

How long can I take Neonatal Care Leave?

You can take one week of leave for each week your baby is in neonatal care, up to a maximum of 12 weeks. The leave must be taken before your baby is 68 weeks old. You can take it in addition to your full maternity, paternity, or adoption leave.

Neonatal Care Leave & Pay Guide UK 2026 — Rights for NICU Parents | PocketWise

Neonatal Care Leave & Pay Guide UK 2026 — Rights for NICU Parents

Complete guide to Neonatal Care Leave and Statutory Neonatal Care Pay including eligibility, how much you get, how to claim, and how it works alongside maternity and paternity leave.

By PocketWise · 15 April 2026 · 6 min read Updated for 2026/27 tax year

Neonatal Care Leave and Pay is a new statutory entitlement for parents whose babies require neonatal care. It came into effect in April 2025.

Neonatal Care Leave at a Glance

Feature	Details
Maximum leave	Up to 12 weeks
Pay rate	£187.18/week (or 90% of earnings if lower)
Eligibility	Baby in neonatal care 7+ consecutive days
Service needed (leave)	Day-one right — no minimum
Service needed (pay)	26 weeks continuous employment
Additional to	Maternity, paternity, adoption leave

What Counts as Neonatal Care?

Qualifying Care

Care Type	Qualifies?
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)	Yes
Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU)	Yes
Local Neonatal Unit (LNU)	Yes
Transitional Care	Yes
Hospital care for neonatal condition	Yes
Home visits by neonatal nurses	May qualify

Qualifying Period

Requirement	Details
Minimum care period	7 consecutive days
When care must start	Within first 28 days of birth
Multiple stays	Can be combined if within 28 days of birth

Examples

Scenario	Qualifies?
Baby in NICU for 3 weeks	Yes — 3 weeks of leave
Baby in SCBU for 8 days	Yes — 1 week of leave
Baby in NICU for 5 days only	No — minimum is 7 days
Baby readmitted at 2 weeks, stays 10 days	Yes — if total is 7+ consecutive days
Baby admitted at 5 weeks old	No — must be within 28 days of birth

How Much Leave Can You Take?

Calculating Your Entitlement

Baby’s Time in Neonatal Care	Leave Entitlement
7 days	1 week
14 days	2 weeks
21 days	3 weeks
1 month	4 weeks
6 weeks	6 weeks
3 months+	12 weeks (maximum)

Calculation: 1 week of leave for each week (or part-week) your baby is in neonatal care, up to 12 weeks maximum.

When to Take Leave

Option	Details
During neonatal care	Take leave while baby is in hospital
After discharge	Take leave once baby comes home
Split across periods	Can be taken in separate blocks
Deadline	Must be taken before baby is 68 weeks old

Statutory Neonatal Care Pay

Pay Rates 2026/27

Component	Amount
Weekly rate	£187.18 (or 90% of earnings if lower)
Duration	Up to 12 weeks
Maximum total	£2,246.16

Eligibility for Pay

Requirement	Details
Employment	26 weeks continuous service by the qualifying week
Earnings	Average £125+ per week
Notice	Follow employer’s process
Evidence	Medical proof of neonatal care

Pay vs Leave Eligibility

Scenario	Leave?	Pay?
Employed 2 months, earning £500/week	Yes	No
Employed 8 months, earning £500/week	Yes	Yes
Employed 8 months, earning £100/week	Yes	No
Agency worker, 6 months same agency	Yes	Maybe
Self-employed	No	No

Who Qualifies?

Eligible Parents

Relationship	Qualifies?
Birth mother	Yes
Birth father	Yes
Spouse/partner of birth parent	Yes
Adoptive parents	Yes
Intended parents (surrogacy)	Yes
Same-sex parents	Yes

Both Parents Can Claim

Scenario	Mother’s Entitlement	Father’s/Partner’s Entitlement
Baby in NICU 4 weeks	4 weeks leave	4 weeks leave
Both parents employed	Both can take leave	Both can take leave
Both qualify for pay	Both can receive pay	Both can receive pay

Note: Both parents can take Neonatal Care Leave. It’s an individual entitlement for each parent.

Neonatal Care Leave vs Other Leave

How It Adds On

Leave Type	Duration	Can Take Neonatal Leave Too?
Maternity Leave	52 weeks	Yes — up to 12 weeks extra
Paternity Leave	2 weeks	Yes — up to 12 weeks extra
Adoption Leave	52 weeks	Yes — up to 12 weeks extra
Shared Parental Leave	Up to 50 weeks	Yes — up to 12 weeks extra

Example: Birth Mother

Leave	Duration	Pay
Maternity Leave	39 weeks paid + 13 unpaid	SMP then unpaid
Plus Neonatal Care Leave	Up to 12 weeks	SNCP
Total possible	Up to 64 weeks

Example: Father/Partner

Leave	Duration	Pay
Paternity Leave	2 weeks	SPP
Plus Neonatal Care Leave	Up to 12 weeks	SNCP
Total possible	Up to 14 weeks

How to Claim

Notifying Your Employer

Step	Action
1	Tell your employer your baby is receiving neonatal care
2	Confirm how much leave you want to take
3	Provide expected start date (if possible)
4	Provide medical evidence of baby’s care

Evidence Required

Document	Purpose
Hospital letter	Confirms baby received neonatal care
NICU admission record	Shows dates and duration
Medical certificate	If employer requests
Self-declaration	May be accepted initially

Notice Periods

Type of Leave	Notice Required
Leave during baby’s hospitalisation	As soon as reasonably practicable
Leave after hospitalisation	Reasonable notice
Returning to work	Reasonable notice

Your Rights

Employment Protection

Protection	Details
Job security	Right to return to same job
Unfair dismissal	Protected from dismissal for taking leave
Detriment	Protected from negative treatment
Redundancy	Special protections during leave

Accruing Benefits

Benefit	During Neonatal Care Leave
Annual leave	Continues to accrue
Pension	Employer contributions continue
Contractual benefits	Generally continue

Special Circumstances

Premature Birth

Situation	Impact
Baby born early, needs NICU	Full entitlement to Neonatal Care Leave
Maternity leave starts early	Neonatal Care Leave is additional
Extended hospital stay	Up to 12 weeks Neonatal Care Leave

Twins or Multiple Births

Scenario	Entitlement
Both babies in neonatal care	Entitlement based on longest-staying baby
One baby in NICU, one not	Still qualify if any baby meets criteria
Maximum leave	Still capped at 12 weeks total

Baby Passes Away

Situation	Entitlement
Baby dies during neonatal care	Leave can still be taken
Baby dies after neonatal care	Leave can still be taken
Support available	Employer should offer compassionate leave

If You’re Not Eligible for Pay

Alternatives

Situation	Options
Self-employed	No SNCP, but may claim Universal Credit
Low earnings	Unpaid leave plus UC
Insufficient service	Unpaid leave plus UC
Agency worker	Check if agency meets employer criteria

Benefits to Consider

Benefit	How It Helps
Universal Credit	Income support during unpaid leave
Child Benefit	£25.60/week for first child
Healthy Start	Food vouchers if on low income
Hospital travel costs	Help with visiting baby in NICU

Enhanced Employer Schemes

What Some Employers Offer

Enhancement	Example
Full pay during neonatal leave	Company policy to pay full salary
Extended leave	More than 12 weeks
Additional support	Counselling, flexible working on return
NICU accommodation	Help with costs of staying near hospital

Tip: Check your employee handbook or ask HR if your employer offers enhanced neonatal care support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Take Neonatal Care Leave If I’m Self-Employed?

No. Neonatal Care Leave is an employment right. Self-employed parents don’t have statutory leave, but they should consider:

Flexible working arrangements
Universal Credit during reduced work
Maternity Allowance (if birth mother)

Can I Split Neonatal Care Leave?

Yes. You can take leave in separate blocks rather than all at once, as long as:

Each block is at least 1 week (unless less than 1 week remains)
All leave is taken before baby is 68 weeks old
You give your employer reasonable notice

What If My Baby Is in NICU Before April 2025?

The law came into force in April 2025. If your baby was already receiving neonatal care before this date:

Leave applies to care on or after April 2025
Some transitional arrangements may apply
Contact ACAS or your HR department for guidance

Can Both Parents Take Leave at the Same Time?

Yes. Each parent has their own individual entitlement. You can both take Neonatal Care Leave at the same time to be with your baby together.

Summary

Feature	Details
Maximum leave	12 weeks
Pay rate	£187.18/week
Leave eligibility	Day-one right
Pay eligibility	26 weeks service, £125/week earnings
Additional to	Existing maternity/paternity/adoption leave
Deadline to take	Before baby is 68 weeks old

Next step: If your baby is receiving neonatal care, tell your employer as soon as possible. You can request leave immediately and provide medical evidence later. Contact ACAS (0300 123 1100) if you have questions about your rights.