Aussie parents will soon receive an extra 10 days of paid parental leave. 

‘If your child is born or adopted from July 1, 2026, you’ll get 130 days of Parental Leave Pay,’ Services Australia announced on Thursday.

‘This will be 26 weeks, based on a five-day work week. This is an increase from the current amount of 120 days.

‘If you submit a pre-birth claim for a child before 1 July 2026, your Parental Leave Pay day balance will be 120 days.

‘Once we get proof of birth or adoption confirming your child was born or adopted from 1 July 2026, we’ll add an extra 10 days to your balance to bring it to 130 days. 

‘You don’t need to make a new claim.’ 

The change to six months of paid leave only applies to one primary carer. 

However, Services Australia has confirmed the smaller allowance for a second parent has also increased. 

‘If you have a partner, 20 days of Parental Leave Pay will be reserved for them to use,’ it said in a statement. 

Australians will be given an extra 10 days of paid parental leave under Services Australia plans

If a child is born or adopted from July 1, a parent will get 130 days of paid leave (stock image)

It marks a significant rise from the initial allocation of 15 days, and both parents can take up to 20 days off together.

The change is the last instalment of a government plan for extending paid parental leave – which began in July 2023.

The policy has increased the paid leave allowance by 10 days every financial year, according to 7News. 

Based on this year’s minimum amount paid via Centrelink, parents could be paid an extra $1,896.20 for the additional 10 days of leave.

This could rise even further on July 1, after the government supported calls earlier this week for the minimum wage to be increased above the inflation rate.

The changes also come a year after the government announced that the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) would pay a 12 per cent superannuation contribution on parental leave pay for a child born or adopted from July 1 last year.

‘This will be paid directly to your superannuation fund,’ Services Australia said. 

‘Contributions will be paid after the end of the financial year you got Parental Leave Pay, starting in July 2026.

‘If you share Parental Leave Pay with another person, each person is eligible for a superannuation contribution on their share of the payment.’