Parental leave payments

Employees and self-employed people may be able to get parental leave payments while they are not working so they can care for a new child. Find out if you’re eligible for payments and how much you could get.

The parental leave payment is a weekly government-funded payment for eligible employees and self-employed people who are taking care of a new baby or a child under 6 years old. Parents whose baby has died before or after birth may also be eligible for parental leave payments.

If you’re eligible, you’ll get parental leave pay for a continuous period of 26 weeks (6 months) while you’re not working. If you go back to work before the 26 weeks are up, your parental leave payments will stop.

Make sure you apply in time to get parental leave payments. Find out more under ‘Applying for parental leave payments’.