The leave is a right from your first day with your employer. The pay needs 26 weeks' service.
Quick facts
- Leave
- Up to 12 weeks
- Pay
- £194.32 a week or 90% of earnings
- Babies born
- On or after 6 April 2025
- Neonatal care
- 7 days or more in a row
- Take it within
- 68 weeks of the birth
Who can get it — the full rules
You may be able to get up to 12 weeks’ Neonatal Care Pay and Leave if:
- your baby was born on or after 6 April 2025
- your baby spends 7 days or more in a row in neonatal care
- you’re the baby’s parent or partner of the baby’s mother, and have caring responsibility for the baby
- you’re taking the leave to care for the baby
‘Neonatal care’ is the name given to care for newborn babies which starts in the first 28 days after birth.
Leave
You can get up to 12 weeks’ Neonatal Care Leave if you’re classed as an employee. It does not matter how long you’ve been with your employer.
You must take the leave within 68 weeks (just under 16 months) of your baby’s birth date.
If you’re already on maternity leave or adoption leave, Neonatal Care Leave must be taken at the end of that entitlement.
Pay
You’ll get either £194.32 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower).
To get Statutory Neonatal Care Pay, you must have been continuously employed by your employer for at least 26 weeks up to the end of what’s called the ‘qualifying week’.
You must also earn on average £129 a week (before tax) or more, over an 8-week period.
Twins and more
If your babies are in neonatal care at the same time (for example, if you have twins), you can only claim Neonatal Care Pay and Leave for one of them, up to a maximum of 12 weeks.
Common questions
How long is Neonatal Care Leave?
One week for every 7 full days your baby is in neonatal care, up to 12 weeks.
How much is Neonatal Care Pay?
£194.32 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower.
Do I need to have worked there a while?
Not for the leave. For the pay you need 26 weeks with your employer.
Is it on top of maternity leave?
Yes. It is added at the end of maternity or adoption leave.