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Work and Families Act 2006

From April 2007, Statutory Maternity Pay, Statutory Adoption Pay and Maternity Allowance will be increased from six months to nine months, as part of a package of family friendly measures introduced by the Work and Families Act 2006. It is proposed that this will increase to a year's paid leave by the end of the Parliament alongside a new right to an additional period of paternity leave for fathers. This will enable fathers to benefit from leave and statutory pay if the mother returns to work after six months but before the end of her maternity leave period.

Other measures include:

The introduction of "Keeping in Touch" days so that where employees and employers agree, a women on maternity leave can go into work for a few days without losing her right to maternity leave or a week's statutory pay.
The right of carers to request flexible working hours.

It is estimated that these changes will benefit around 400,000 mothers each year.