How much paternity leave do fathers get on the Isle of Man?

Fathers on the Isle of Man are entitled to 1 or 2 consecutive weeks of paternity leave, to be taken within 56 days of the birth. You must have 26 weeks' continuous service with your employer by the 15th week before the baby is due. The leave is unpaid by law, though you may be entitled to a social security allowance and some employers offer contractual paternity pay.

Is paternity leave paid on the Isle of Man?

There is no legal requirement for employers on the Isle of Man to pay employees during paternity leave. However, you may be entitled to a social security allowance from the Isle of Man Government. Some employers offer contractual paternity pay as part of their employment package, so check your contract.

What is Shared Parental Leave on the Isle of Man?

Shared Parental Leave came into force on the Isle of Man on 1 November 2025. It allows mothers and fathers to share up to 50 weeks of leave during the first year of their child's life. This gives fathers and partners the option to take a much longer period of leave than the basic 2-week paternity entitlement. A Shared Parental Allowance is available to support eligible parents financially during this leave.

How does Isle of Man paternity leave compare to the UK?

Both the Isle of Man and the UK offer 1 or 2 weeks of paternity leave. The key difference is pay: in the UK, Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) is £194.32 per week (2026/27), paid by the employer. On the Isle of Man, paternity leave is unpaid by the employer, though a social security allowance may be available from the government.

Paternity Leave on the Isle of Man

A guide for fathers and partners on leave entitlements, shared parental leave, and how to notify your employer.

Last updated: 14 August 2026 · By the pregnancy.im team

Key takeaway

Fathers and partners on the Isle of Man are entitled to 1–2 weeks' paternity leave under the Employment Act 2006. There is no statutory paternity pay, but eligible parents may share maternity leave through the Shared Parental Leave scheme.

Paternity leave entitlement

Under the Employment Act 2006, fathers and partners on the Isle of Man are entitled to 1 or 2 consecutive weeks of paternity leave. The leave must be taken within 56 days of the birth of the baby.

Key facts

Duration: 1 week or 2 consecutive weeks (you cannot take it as odd days or two separate weeks)
Timing: Must be taken within 56 days of the birth
Qualifying service: 26 weeks' continuous employment with the same employer, ending with the 15th week before the baby is due
Who qualifies: The biological father and/or the husband or partner of the mother

Is paternity leave paid?

There is no legal requirement for employers on the Isle of Man to pay employees during paternity leave. This is a significant difference from the UK, where Statutory Paternity Pay is available.

However:

You may be entitled to a Paternity Allowance from the Isle of Man Government — paid at £257.25 per week or 90% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower
Some employers offer contractual paternity pay as part of their employment package — check your contract or staff handbook
Isle of Man Government employees receive paid paternity leave under the Manx Public Terms and Conditions

How to notify your employer

You should notify your employer of your intention to take paternity leave by the 15th week before the baby is due (around 25 weeks of pregnancy). You will need to provide:

The expected week of childbirth
Whether you want to take 1 week or 2 weeks of leave
When you want the leave to start

Your employer cannot refuse paternity leave if you meet the qualifying conditions. You are also protected from unfair treatment or dismissal for taking paternity leave.

Shared Parental Leave (from 1 November 2025)

Shared Parental Leave was introduced to the Isle of Man on 1 November 2025 under the Employment (Amendment) Act 2024. This gives fathers and partners a much more flexible option beyond the basic 2-week paternity leave.

How Shared Parental Leave works

Parents can share up to 50 weeks of leave in the first 12 months of their child's life
The mother can transfer some or all of her remaining maternity leave to her partner
Leave can be taken by either parent, or by both parents at the same time
The same rights apply to adoptive parents
A Shared Parental Allowance is available at £257.25 per week or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower (from November 2025)

Both maternity and paternity leave remain available as standalone options. Shared Parental Leave is an additional choice that gives families more flexibility in how they share caring responsibilities.

The regulations were unanimously approved by Tynwald. For the official guide, visit gov.im — Family Leave Rights.

Parental Bereavement Leave

Also introduced on 1 November 2025, parents are entitled to take 2 weeks' leave following the death of a child under the age of 18, including cases of stillbirth (from 24 weeks of pregnancy). This leave can be taken as:

A single 2-week block, or
Two separate 1-week blocks within the first year after the child's death

Parents who suffer a miscarriage before 24 weeks of pregnancy are entitled to 1 week of leave.

A Parental Bereavement Allowance is available to support parents financially during this leave. For more information, see our pregnancy loss support guide.

Neonatal Care Leave and Carer's Leave (coming)

The Employment (Amendment) Act 2026 received Royal Assent in July 2026, creating the framework for Neonatal Care Leave (extra leave for parents whose baby needs neonatal care, linked to the length of that care) and Carer's Leave.

Neither right is in force yet. The Act is enabling legislation only — the Department for Enterprise is still developing the detailed regulations. Check gov.im — Family Leave Rights for the current position.

Comparison with UK paternity leave

	Isle of Man	UK
Paternity leave	1 or 2 weeks	1 or 2 weeks
Statutory pay	No employer-paid statutory pay. Social security allowance may be available	£194.32/week SPP (2026/27)
Qualifying service	26 weeks by the 15th week before due date	26 weeks by the 15th week before due date
Timing	Within 56 days of birth	Within 52 weeks of birth (from April 2024)
Shared Parental Leave	Up to 50 weeks (from Nov 2025)	Up to 50 weeks (since 2015)
Legislation	Employment Act 2006, Employment (Amendment) Act 2024 & Employment (Amendment) Act 2026 (Tynwald)	Employment Rights Act 1996 & various regulations (Westminster)

For a broader comparison of pregnancy-related differences, see our Isle of Man vs UK pregnancy guide.

Useful links

gov.im — Family Leave Rights
IoM Office of Human Resources — Paternity (for government employees)
gov.im — Shared Parental Leave announcement
pregnancy.im — Pregnancy FAQ

Sources

Disclaimer: This page is for general information only. For medical advice, speak to your midwife, health visitor, or GP. For advice on employment rights, contact the Isle of Man Office of Fair Trading.