UK expands statutory bereavement leave to include miscarriage, termination and early-pregnancy loss
From April next year workers will receive up to two weeks of unpaid bereavement leave for pregnancy loss before 24 weeks, and the right will also cover a broader range of family members.
Starting in April, UK employees will be entitled to up to two weeks of unpaid bereavement leave if a pregnancy ends before 24 weeks, including miscarriage, termination or an unsuccessful IVF embryo transfer. The Employment Rights Act 2025 also expands the existing statutory right to cover spouses, partners, parents, adult children, siblings, step-and-half relatives, as well as foster, kinship and adoptive relationships that previously lacked protection.
The measure was shaped after a consultation that received strong backing from both employers and campaigners like Vicki Robinson of Miscarriage UK. Work minister Kate Dearden said the reforms ensure people can grieve without having to battle for time off, and they apply to partners and intended parents in surrogacy arrangements. Trade union leader Paul Nowak praised the step as essential for fairer workers’ rights, while the government continues a wider review of parental leave and pay policies.
Why it matters
It gives workers legal time off to grieve early pregnancy loss and broader family deaths, reducing hardship and standardising employer practices.
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