Workers in the U.K. will gain new legal rights to take time off after losing a close family member or experiencing pregnancy loss, according to the U.K. government’s website.
From April 2027, employees will have a new right to bereavement leave following the death of a spouse or partner, parent, adult child or sibling. The entitlement will also cover step, half, adoptive, kinship care and foster relationships, extending protection to family relationships that currently do not have a legal right to bereavement leave.
The government said the measures are intended to give workers time to grieve without having to rely solely on individual employer policies.
Pregnancy Loss Will Qualify For Two Weeks Of Leave
Women and their partners will also be entitled to up to two weeks of unpaid leave following a pregnancy loss before 24 weeks.
The right will cover miscarriages, terminations and unsuccessful IVF embryo transfers. It will also apply to the other biological parent and intended parents in a surrogacy arrangement.
The government said the change recognizes that pregnancy loss affects partners and families as well as the person who was pregnant.
The new entitlement will provide a statutory minimum, although some employers already offer more generous compassionate or bereavement leave, including paid time off.
New Rights Expand Existing Bereavement Protections
The changes build on the existing right to Parental Bereavement Leave, which covers parents following a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy or the death of a child under 18.
The government is also reviewing the wider parental leave and pay system, including proposals concerning parents of terminally ill children.
The new bereavement and pregnancy loss rights are part of the government’s wider Make Work Pay agenda, which aims to support people in staying in work while improving living standards and reducing pressures on family life.
