An insurance company is boosting its paternity pay for new dads - offering them up to six weeks fully paid leave.

The perk comes from Covéa Insurance, based in Kings Hill, West Malling.

It says it believes the move will "enhance its ability to attract and retain talented people and help promote workplace inclusion".

Statutory paternity leave in the UK is just two weeks.

People director at the company, Lisa Meigh, said: "We know many dads want to take time off to be involved with caring for their new-born babies, but that family finances can put pressure on the length of time they take.

"By increasing paternity leave to six weeks’ full pay, new dads working here will be able to focus fully on their new baby and partner during the crucial first stage of their child’s life.

"This change promotes workplace equality by aligning the company’s paternity leave with the first six weeks of its maternity policy and has been greeted positively by both mums and dads in the business.

“I believe this change sends a really strong message; it says we want to support our employees on whom our future growth and success relies, and is a major step forward in promoting workplace and parenting equality.”

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