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Shared parental leave planner (10 weeks from April 2026)
Slide the shared weeks between mum and dad. You'll see each parent's total leave, the dates it ends, and how much of your pay the government funds.
Figures checked 2 Oct 2026 against official government sources · Fussy Mama
Total paid leave for your family
Your leave plan, week by week
| Who | Leave | Weeks | Working days | Dates if taken in one block |
|---|
Dates assume both parents start on the birth date and take everything in one go, which is the default when you and your employer don't agree another plan. Mum can also start maternity leave up to 4 weeks before the birth.
How shared parental leave works
Shared Parental Leave (SPL) is a pool of government-paid leave that mum and dad split between them. It sits on top of mum's 16 weeks of maternity leave and dad's 4 weeks of paternity leave.
| Baby born (or due, or adoption intent) | Maternity leave | Paternity leave | Shared parental leave | Family total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From 1 April 2026 | 16 weeks | 4 weeks | 10 weeks | 30 weeks |
| 1 Apr 2025 to 31 Mar 2026 | 16 weeks | 4 weeks | 6 weeks | 26 weeks |
Source: MOM shared parental leave page (updated 13 Aug 2026), MOM paternity leave page and MSF Government-Paid Leave portal, checked 2 Oct 2026.
The rules that trip parents up
- Default split is half and half. LifeSG gives each parent half the pool. You can change it in LifeSG. Within 4 weeks of the birth, no employer paperwork is needed. After that, you need written agreement from the employer.
- Start date. SPL starts only after that parent's own maternity or paternity leave is used up.
- Without your boss's agreement, SPL is one continuous block, straight after maternity or paternity leave, within 26 weeks of the birth. With agreement, you can split it up and take it any time in the first 12 months.
- Notice. Give your employer 4 weeks' notice, unless they agree to less.
- Deadline. Everything must be used by the day before your baby's first birthday.
- Pay. Your employer pays you during SPL, then claims it back from the government, capped at $2,500 a week. Self-employed parents claim lost income up to the same cap.
Who qualifies
- Your baby is a Singapore citizen.
- Employees: you've worked for your employer for at least 3 continuous months before the birth. Self-employed: at least 3 months in your trade before the birth, and you lose income during the leave.
- All eligible mums qualify. Dads must be (or have been) married to the mum between conception and birth, or within 12 months of the birth.
- Adoptive parents qualify if the formal intent to adopt is on or after 1 April 2025 and the child is under 12 months then.
Don't meet these? You may still get the Shared Parental Leave Benefit. Check the MSF Government-Paid Leave portal.
Maternity leave: who pays which weeks
For a 1st or 2nd child, the employer pays weeks 1 to 8 and the government reimburses weeks 9 to 16, capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks. For a 3rd child or later, the government reimburses all 16 weeks. At NDR 2026 the government said it will cover all child-related leave for every child order, up to the cap. The start date for that hasn't been announced.
Worked example
Baby due 1 December 2026, default 5 and 5 split. Mum takes 16 weeks of maternity leave and 5 weeks of SPL, so 21 weeks, ending 26 April 2027. Dad takes 4 weeks of paternity leave and 5 weeks of SPL, so 9 weeks, ending 1 February 2027. Together that's 30 weeks.
Dad earns $7,000 a month. That works out to about $1,615 a week (monthly pay x 12 / 52), under the $2,500 cap, so the government funds all 9 weeks: about $14,538. Mum's weeks 9 to 16 and her 5 SPL weeks are government-funded too.
Same baby, dad takes 8 weeks of SPL. Mum's total drops to 18 weeks and dad's goes up to 12. Change this in LifeSG within 4 weeks of the birth and you don't need your employers to sign anything.
Tips from mums who've done it
- Talk to both bosses before the birth. The 4-week notice period catches people out when baby comes early.
- Some couples overlap the first few weeks, then stagger the rest so baby is home with a parent for longer before infant care.
- Dad's leave doesn't have to be at the start. With his employer's OK, he can save some weeks for when mum goes back to work.
More on the return to work in our guides to maternity and paternity leave and going back after maternity leave.
Questions parents ask
How many weeks of shared parental leave do we get?
10 weeks for babies born (or due, or with formal intent to adopt) from 1 April 2026. 6 weeks for babies born from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. It's shared between mum and dad, on top of 16 weeks of maternity and 4 weeks of paternity leave.
How is shared parental leave split by default?
Half each. With 10 weeks, that's 5 weeks for mum and 5 for dad. You can change the split on LifeSG. Within 4 weeks of the birth you don't need employer paperwork; after that you need written agreement from the employer.
Can one parent take all 10 weeks?
Yes. You decide the split between you, from 0 to 10 weeks each. The total stays at 10.
When can we take shared parental leave?
After that parent's maternity or paternity leave is used up, and within 12 months of the birth. Without employer agreement it's one continuous block within 26 weeks of the birth. With agreement you can take it in pieces.
Is shared parental leave paid?
Yes. Your employer pays you and claims it back from the government, capped at $2,500 a week. Self-employed parents can claim lost income up to the same cap.
Who is eligible for shared parental leave?
Your child must be a Singapore citizen and you must have worked for your employer for at least 3 continuous months before the birth. Dads must be married to the mum, either between conception and birth or within 12 months after.
How much notice do I need to give my employer?
4 weeks, unless your employer agrees to a shorter period.
Our baby was due after 1 April 2026 but came early. Do we get 10 weeks?
Possibly. MSF says if the estimated delivery date was on or after 1 April 2026 but the baby was born before, you may get 10 weeks. Contact MSF through the form link in your birth registration acknowledgement email.
What happens to unused shared parental leave?
It lapses after the day before your baby's first birthday. Plan it early so none is wasted.
