Neonatal Care Leave and Pay for NHS Staff

Having a baby who needs neonatal care is a hugely stressful time, and many parents used to find that a long hospital stay ate into their maternity or paternity leave. Since 6 April 2025, a new legal right to neonatal care leave and pay has changed that. NHS terms and conditions now include it in Section 15.

Who it applies to

You can take neonatal care leave if your baby:

• Starts receiving neonatal care within 28 days of birth, and
• Stays in neonatal care for at least seven continuous days.

Neonatal care covers medical care in hospital, care after discharge supervised by a consultant, and palliative or end-of-life care. Both parents can take it.

How much leave

You get one week of leave for each full week your baby is in neonatal care, from a minimum of one week up to a maximum of 12 weeks. Part weeks do not count, so 17 days of care gives two weeks of leave.

This leave is added to your other family leave, such as maternity, paternity or shared parental leave. It does not replace it. Usually it is taken at the end of your other leave, so your return date moves back by the number of weeks.

Pay

The right to the leave applies from your first day of employment. To be paid, you need:

• 26 weeks of service with your employer by the relevant date, and
• Average weekly earnings of at least £129.

Statutory neonatal care pay is £194.32 a week from April 2026, or 90% of your earnings if lower. The national NHS terms follow the statutory scheme. Some trusts choose to pay more, so check your employer's policy.

A worked example

A full-time Band 5 nurse's baby spends 21 days in neonatal care. That is three weeks, so she can take three extra weeks of leave. With the required service, she gets 3 x £194.32 = £582.96 in statutory neonatal care pay.

Telling your employer

The notice rules depend on when you take the leave. While your baby is still in care, or within the first week after discharge, you can give notice informally, even on the day. Later blocks need more notice. Your employer can ask for a signed declaration about the baby's care.

Protection

You are protected from detriment and dismissal for taking neonatal care leave, and you have the right to return to the same job.

How it fits with other leave

There are two stages. While your baby is still in neonatal care, or within a week of leaving, you can take leave in blocks of whole weeks. After that, any remaining leave must normally be taken as one continuous block within 68 weeks of the birth. Many parents add it to the end of maternity or paternity leave.

Common questions

Does neonatal care include care at home? It can, if the care is supervised by a consultant after discharge from hospital.

Do I need to be the birth parent? No. Partners, adopters and intended parents in surrogacy can all qualify.

Is the leave paid by the NHS at full pay? National NHS terms follow the statutory rates. Your employer may choose to pay more.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Counting part weeks of care, which do not add to the leave.
• Not keeping a record of admission and discharge dates, which your employer may ask for.

A worked example with paternity leave

A father working on Band 6 has a baby who spends 26 days in neonatal care. That is three full weeks, so he can take three weeks of neonatal care leave. He takes his two weeks of NHS paternity leave on full pay first, while the baby is still in hospital, and then three weeks of neonatal care leave. If he has the 26 weeks' service needed for pay, he receives three weeks of statutory neonatal care pay at £194.32 a week, which is £582.96 before tax.

Check your leave

The neonatal care pay calculator works out how many weeks of leave you can take and the statutory pay for your band and hours. For the rest of your family leave, see the maternity pay and paternity pay guides.