'Few fathers' take extra paternity leave - TUC report

Fewer than 1% of fathers take advantage of additional paternity leave up to a total of 26 weeks, figures suggest.

The TUC study for 2011/12 found just 1,650 out of 285,000 men took the leave at the statutory rate of £136 a week.

The trade union organisation said this was because fathers could not afford to live on such a rate, which is not normally supplemented by employers.

Ben Moxham of the TUC said: "What we're asking for is a modest six-week period paid at 90% of the salary and the benefits of that can be tremendous."