Household debt: Economic indicators
Debt levels affect how much households spend. Find the latest data on UK household debt, mortgage rates and insolvencies.

A Westminster Hall debate was scheduled for 9.30 am on 22 November 2023 on fertility treatment and workplace rights. The debate was to be opened by Angela Crawley MP.
Fertility treatment and workplace rights (143 KB , PDF)
A Westminster Hall debate on fertility treatment and workplace rights was scheduled to take place on 22 November 2023 at 9.30 am, sponsored by SNP MP Angela Crawley. This debate was cancelled. Information relating to fertility treatment and workplace rights can be found below.
Employment law is devolved in Northern Ireland but reserved in respect of Scotland and Wales.
At present there are no specific statutory rights to time off work for in order to attend IVF treatment in Great Britain. Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) guidance on Having IVF treatment states that “There’s no legal right for time off work for IVF treatment” but that such appointments or any sickness arising from IVF treatment should be treated “the same as any other medical appointment or sickness” are treated by an employer’s staff policy.
The Acas guidance also states that “You have pregnancy rights once you’ve had the last part of the IVF process (‘embryo transfer’) and might become pregnant.” These pregnancy rights include the right to “reasonable time off with full pay for pregnancy-related (‘antenatal’) appointments.” Even if the embryo transfer was unsuccessful, employees are protected against pregnancy discrimination for two weeks after finding out, which might limit an employer in refusing requests for further appointments.
The number of appointments women need for IVF can vary significantly, but as an example, NHS guidance on IVF notes there are usually six main steps to each cycle of IVF treatment. IVF treatment can also involve other appointments such as consultations and counselling.
On 20 June 2022 Conservative MP Nickie Aiken introduced a Private Member’s Bill, the Fertility Treatment (Employment Rights) Bill 2022-23, as a Presentation Bill. The Bill’s long title was “A Bill to require employers to allow employees to take time off from work for appointments for fertility treatment; and for connected purposes.” The Bill did not receive a second reading.
Fertility treatment and workplace rights (143 KB , PDF)
Debt levels affect how much households spend. Find the latest data on UK household debt, mortgage rates and insolvencies.
A debate on an e-petition proposal to require employers to offer career breaks for parents with a seriously ill child will take place in Westminster Hall on 3 February 2025 at 4.30pm.
In the 2023/24 academic year, there were 736,500 people participating in an apprenticeship in England, with 339,600 apprenticeship starts and 178,200 apprenticeship achievements.