In a significant move towards supporting grieving parents, the government is set to introduce a new law that will extend bereavement leave entitlements to cover miscarriages occurring before the 24-week gestation period.
This landmark amendment to the Employment Rights Bill aims to provide a legal right for parents to take time off work to grieve following any stage of pregnancy loss. Previously, statutory bereavement leave was only granted for miscarriages after 24 weeks or the death of a child under 18.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner championed the change, emphasizing the critical need for parents to have adequate time to process such a profound loss. “No one who is going through the heartbreak of pregnancy loss should have to go back to work before they are ready,” Rayner stated, highlighting the emotional and psychological toll of miscarriage.
Currently, parents are entitled to two weeks of leave if they experience a miscarriage after 24 weeks of pregnancy or if a child under 18 passes away. The proposed extension will ensure that parents who suffer a loss earlier in their pregnancy receive similar support, with consultations underway to determine the exact length of leave, though it is expected to be at least one week.
The Employment Rights Bill, which broadens the legal protection for employees to take time off following the death of a loved one, is progressing through Parliament. This initiative has been bolstered by advocacy from figures like Labour MP Sarah Owen, who chairs the Women and Equalities Committee. Owen shared her personal experience of miscarriage in 2021, detailing the debilitating grief that followed, even when physically recovered. “I could not eat, I could not sleep. I really did not hold much hope that life would ever get brighter,” she told MPs, underscoring the deep emotional impact of such events.
In March, Business Minister Justin Madders acknowledged the principle of bereavement leave for pregnancy loss and pledged to consider its inclusion in the Employment Rights Bill. This commitment has been warmly received by organizations like the Miscarriage Association. Vicki Robinson, the chief executive of the Miscarriage Association, hailed the announcement as “a hugely important step that acknowledges the often very significant impact of pre-24-week loss, not only for those experiencing the physical loss, but for their partners too.”
This legislative development represents a compassionate and necessary evolution in workplace rights, offering crucial support to families navigating the difficult experience of miscarriage.