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.
Salary and income data is based on ONS and other official UK statistical sources. Figures are averages and may not reflect your individual circumstances.
Contents
If you want a complete route through maternity, paternity, and family-leave pay decisions, start with the Maternity and Paternity Pay Hub for the full framework.
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
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.