A study by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has found that many British dads are finding it very difficult to balance the demands of home life with work and fear that requests for flexible working will damage their careers. The report highlights that nearly half of fathers feel they spend too little time with their children.

The current and proposed Government paternity leave arrangements include:

• Two weeks’ statutory paternity leave paid at a flat rate of up £123.06 per week
• A proposal that by 2011 fathers will be able to take another six months’ paternity – three months at the statutory rate of pay and three months’ unpaid – as long as the mother gives up six months of maternity leave.

Despite the opportunities available to take paternity leave the study found that forty-five per cent of men failed to take their two weeks’ leave after the birth of their child. The most common reason for this was that they feared they could not afford to lose the wages for that time. Two in five men also believed that asking for flexible working arrangements would result in their commitment to their job being questioned and would negatively affect their chances of a promotion. The Commission suggested changes to the current rules including 90% pay for the paternity leave period and an extended parental leave which should also be paid at 90% for the first four months.