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23 October 2026
Despite the fact that one in five women in the UK experience a miscarriage in their lifetime, there has been no legal right to bereavement leave under 24 weeks … until April 2027.
In recent weeks, Andy Burnham has announced plans that from April, people who are experiencing the loss of a pregnancy will be able to take bereavement leave at any time, under new reforms.
From April 2027, there will be reforms to offer people in Britain greater bereavement rights, some of which are landmark decisions.
Employees who experience pregnancy loss before 24 weeks will be entitled to two weeks of leave. While it covers pregnant people, it will also cover:
This leave will be accessible to people regardless of their length of service within a company.
It is important to note that bereavement leave under the new rules is unpaid.
These rights represent a big change in bereavement leave, as until April 2027, bereavement leave only extends to the loss of a child after 24 weeks of pregnancy and the death of a child under the age of 18. This leave is paid.
Employers must prepare for this change well in advance, ensuring their policies and procedures are updated ahead of April 2027.
While the new legislation will introduce a legal entitlement to leave, employers should also consider how they can provide meaningful support to employees experiencing pregnancy loss.
One of the first steps employers should take is to review their existing bereavement and compassionate leave policies.
These should be updated to reflect the new entitlement and clearly explain how employees can request leave, who is eligible and what support is available.
HR teams should also ensure their procedures are consistent with the new requirements so that employees are treated fairly.
Manager training will be equally important. Pregnancy loss can be an incredibly personal and distressing experience, and managers should be equipped to handle conversations with sensitivity and understanding.
Although the statutory entitlement will be unpaid, employers may also wish to consider offering additional support.
This could include paid compassionate leave, flexible working arrangements, a phased return to work or access to employee assistance programmes and counselling services.
Taking these steps early will help organisations prepare for the changes and ensure that employees are treated with compassion when they need support the most.
Our team can help your business review its HR policies and update employee handbooks to ensure that they meet the new requirements.
While employers are not required to implement these changes until April 2027, now is the time to start reviewing policies to ensure that employees can take time to heal both emotionally and physically after the loss of a pregnancy.
For support with implementing miscarriage leave into policies, get in touch with our team.
