FOI request: paternity leave
Case reference FOI2026/00850
Received 20 April 2026
Published 19 May 2026
Request
I am writing to request information under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Please supply the following:
1. A copy of your current paternity-leave policy, including any variations depending on employee status (e.g. full-time, part-time, length of service). Please clearly state the standard entitlement (number of weeks) and the rate of pay (full pay, statutory pay, enhanced pay, etc.) across that entitlement.
2. For the most recent three financial years (or calendar years) for which data is held:
a) the number of employees who took paternity leave, and
b) the average number of weeks taken per employee, and
c) if available, a breakdown of take-up by type of pay (e.g. full pay vs statutory pay).
3. The median (or mean) gross pay of all council employees.
Response
Please find the answers to your queries below:
I am writing to request information under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Please supply the following:
1. A copy of your current paternity-leave policy, including any variations depending on employee status (e.g. full-time, part-time, length of service). Please clearly state the standard entitlement (number of weeks) and the rate of pay (full pay, statutory pay, enhanced pay, etc.) across that entitlement.
Please find a copy of our current paternity leave policy attached.
Paternity Leave entitlement is either one or two consecutive weeks, but not odd days. The first week is paid at full pay; the second week is paid at Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP).
2. For the most recent three financial years (or calendar years) for which data is held:
a) the number of employees who took paternity leave, and
b) the average number of weeks taken per employee, and
c) if available, a breakdown of take-up by type of pay (e.g. full pay vs statutory pay).
2023/24
Eight employees took Paternity Leave.
Four of these employees took the full two week entitlement (all with one week at full pay and one week at SPP); three took one week entitlement (all with one week at full pay); one took 13 weeks of Shared Parental Leave.
2024/25
Fourteen employees took Paternity Leave.
Ten of these employees took the full two week entitlement (all with one week at full pay and one week at SPP); four took one week entitlement (all with one week at full pay).
2025/26
Eight employees took Paternity Leave.
Three of these employees took the full two week entitlement (all with one week at full pay and one week at SPP); four took one week entitlement (all with one week at full pay); one took 13 weeks of Shared Parental Leave.
3. The median (or mean) gross pay of all council employees.
£56,627.80.
Yours sincerely,
FOI Team
Guildford Borough Council
Documents
This is Guildford Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.