AN Army reservist who served on a Ukraine mission was denied paternity pay from his civilian job as his deployment counted as a break from work.
MPs and campaigners hit out at the rule, which could affect thousands of other reserve soldiers answering a call to duty. The sergeant, who works as a lorry driver in his civilian life, spent six months on UK operations supporting Ukraine.
He then returned to his normal job, where he has worked since 2017, before welcoming a son weeks later in February.
He believed he was eligible for two weeks’ statutory paternity pay, but HMRC informed him he was not entitled to a penny because he had taken a “break” from his job.
The East Anglian dad, who did not want to be named, told The Sun: “Despite being mobilised for King and country, returning to work as soon as I could, and doing everything by the book, I’m now told I’m not eligible.“At a time when we should be focused on the newborn, we’ve instead been dealing with unnecessary financial strain and stress.
“It feels like box-ticking, without any regard for real-world circumstances or the commitments of reservists.”
Labour MP Maya Ellis said it was “shocking” that serving families can “slip through the cracks”, adding: “The nation should have their backs.”
Campaigners from The Dad Shift also warned the “ridiculous” loophole could hit thousands of other Army reservists. Defence officials are said to be looking into the case.
A Government spokesman said: “If they meet standard requirements, anyone returning to their employer within six months after the end of their deployment would normally be eligible for statutory paternity pay.”
