Losing a pregnancy is devastating at any stage. At the moment, those who lose a baby before 24 weeks have no right to bereavement leave.
I’m really pleased that the Labour government is changing this for all families who will experience loss in the future.
One in five women in the UK experience a miscarriage.
From April 2027, women and their partners who experience the loss of a pregnancy, at any stage, will be entitled to two weeks’ unpaid leave from work.
This can include miscarriage, terminations and unsuccessful IVF embryo transfers.
This new entitlement to bereavement leave will also extend to any employee who has lose an immediate family member. Currently, there’s no legal right that covers all employees.
The change covers anyone who has lost a spouse or partner, parent, child or sibling, including step, half, adoptive, kinship care and foster relationships.
And the leave can be taken flexibly within 56 weeks of the loss, including as single days, recognising that grief can hit at different times.
This will give families the space to grieve, at difficult times in their lives, in a way that works for them.
