“No one should have to fight for time to grieve”
At Miscarriage UK, we welcome today’s confirmation that people experiencing pregnancy loss before 24 weeks will gain new rights to take time off work under major changes confirmed by the Government.
From April 2027, people experiencing pregnancy loss will be entitled to two weeks of unpaid bereavement leave. Importantly, this right will also extend to partners, the other biological parent or intended parents in a surrogacy arrangement whose experiences of loss can too often be overlooked.
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.”
Minister for the Future of Work, 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.”
Many employers already go further than the statutory minimum, including by offering paid leave and additional support. But access to compassionate workplace support should not be dependent on a goodwill gesture. A statutory entitlement provides an important safety net, ensuring that people affected by pregnancy loss have a legal right to time away from work at one of the most difficult times in their lives.
This change is the result of years of campaigning and the voices of people with lived experience who have shared their stories to help make change happen.
Through our Leave for Every Loss campaign, we called for two weeks’ paid bereavement leave alongside recognition for partners. We were proud to campaign alongside our advocates, including Sarah Owen MP and Myleene Klass MBE, fellow pregnancy and baby loss charities, and our business partners.
While the new entitlement does not yet go as far as the two weeks’ paid leave we called for, securing a legal right to bereavement leave is an important milestone. It sends a clear message that pregnancy loss matters, that grief should be recognised, and that no one should have to choose between grieving and going to work.
We want to thank everyone who shared their experiences, supported our campaign, contacted their MPs, shared our message and stood with us in calling for Leave for Every Loss.
Our fight isn’t over. Because every loss matters.
Key questions answered:
- Eligibility for pregnancy loss: Leave will be available to employees who experience all types of pregnancy loss before 24 weeks (including terminations and IVF embryo transfer loss). Leave will be available to parents, partners of the mother who expected to have responsibility for the child’s upbringing and intended parents in a surrogacy arrangement.
- When and how leave can be taken: Employees can take up to two weeks of leave, calculated based on their average working pattern. Leave can be taken within 56 weeks of the bereavement, and it can be taken in discontinuous, single days. The leave period starts from the date of death or pregnancy loss, or the date of knowledge of those events.
- Notice requirements: Notice can be given as soon as reasonably practicable if the leave is being taken within the first eight weeks of bereavement, and one week’s notice is required thereafter. Any form of notice is acceptable.
- Evidence requirements: There are no evidence requirements for this entitlement.
- The government aims to introduce this entitlement in April 2027.
We know that news about pregnancy loss can sometimes bring difficult feelings to the surface, particularly for those who have experienced a loss themselves. If today’s announcement has affected you, you don’t have to face those feelings alone. Our support line is here for you on 0303 003 6464, and you can find out more about our support services here.
If you are an employer looking for a way to support your employees going through pregnancy loss, help with policy development or training, visit our workplace hub.