New law will see right to bereavement leave to cover miscarriages and terminations

New law will see right to bereavement leave to cover miscarriages and terminations Women and their partners who experience a pregnancy loss before 24 weeks will be entitled to up to two weeks of unpaid time off work - Bookmark Employees grieving a loss during early pregnancy or the death of a relative are set to gain statutory time off under expanded rules outlined by the government. Beginning in April next year, the statutory bereavement right will cover staff who lose a spouse, partner, parent, adult child or sibling. Step and half relatives will also be included, alongside foster, kinship care and adoptive relationships, which currently hold no statutory protection in terms of workplace leave. Women and their partners who suffer a pregnancy loss prior to 24 weeks, including a miscarriage, a termination and an unsuccessful IVF embryo transfer, will be entitled to up to two weeks of unpaid leave. There is an existing right to leave for parents who experience a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy, or the death of a child under 18. The Employment Rights Act 2025 established this new statutory right to unpaid leave for employees who suffer the loss of a relative. Monday’s announcement follows a consultation aimed at ensuring the new entitlement is “shaped with the needs of employees and employers”. The move follows campaigning, including by grieving parents who had no formal recognition of their loss, to end “inconsistency and confusion”, the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade said. Despite estimates that one in five women in the UK experience a miscarriage, there is no legal right to bereavement leave in these circumstances. Work minister Kate Dearden said: “No-one should have to fight for time to grieve. “These changes back people going through some of the hardest moments of life, whoever they are and wherever they work. “I want to thank the campaigners whose courage and testimonies have made this change happen.” The department said that while the vast majority of affected workers have understanding employers, there needs to be a “safety net beyond this discretion”. Regarding loss during pregnancy, the right to bereavement leave will apply to partners, the other biological parent, or intended parents in a surrogacy arrangement. “This recognises in law that pregnancy loss affects the whole family and that all families across Great Britain have their grief acknowledged and are treated fairly at one of the hardest times in life,” the Department said. Vicki Robinson, Miscarriage UK chief executive, said: “This is an important step in recognising pregnancy loss as a bereavement and the profound impact it can have, and we hope will provide a baseline for employers to go further. “We still strongly believe bereavement leave should be paid, and we will continue to press for this through our leave for every loss campaign. “We will continue work with government to ensure the detail and guidance provide meaningful and compassionate support for everyone affected by pregnancy loss.” TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “No one experiencing the devastating loss of a loved one or a pregnancy should have to worry that they cannot take the time off to grieve. “Most employers already provide workers with time off after bereavement. But these new protections will make sure all working families have the time and space they need during some of life’s toughest moments. “They show that stronger workers’ rights are not just good for employees and employers, they are the foundation of a fairer and more decent society.” The government is also conducting a wider review of parental leave and pay. This covers issues such as the call for “Hugh’s Law” which would provide statutory paid leave for parents of seriously ill children, and the rights of parents with terminally ill children. The consultation on the new measures showed more than eight in ten employers and nine in ten organisations representing business supported bereavement leave after the death of an immediate family member.