Legislation
Extension to Bereavement Leave for miscarriages
Date
Pending
Summary
Under Labour’s proposed ‘Make Work Pay’ reforms, bereavement leave rights are set to be extended to parents who experience miscarriage before 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Currently, statutory parental bereavement leave and pay only apply when a child is stillborn after 24 weeks of pregnancy or dies under the age of 18. This proposed extension would give parents the right to two weeks of paid bereavement leave in the event of a miscarriage at any stage of pregnancy, including the first 24 weeks.
The move follows recommendations from the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC), whose report highlighted that the grief experienced before and after the 24-week mark is comparable – and that current sick leave provisions are ‘inadequate and inappropriate’.
The WEC also pointed out that many parents are left financially unsupported due to limited access to statutory sick pay (SSP), making it difficult to take the time they need to recover physically and emotionally.
Key points
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The right would apply regardless of gestational stage, extending legal protection beyond the current 24-week threshold.
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Entitlement includes two weeks of bereavement leave, with pay expected to mirror existing parental bereavement pay.
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No confirmed implementation date has been set, but this is part of Labour’s wider proposed reforms to improve workers’ rights.
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