Cybill Watkins, Group Product Legislation Manager at Zellis, explains what the new statutory parental leave for bereavement and pregnancy loss rights will mean for employers, and why they should be preparing now for their introduction in April 2027.
The Government has confirmed a significant expansion of statutory parental leave for bereavement and pregnancy loss rights. From April 2027, employees will gain a day-one statutory right to bereavement leave following the death of certain close family members. Women and their partners who experience pregnancy loss before 24 weeks will also be entitled to up to two weeks of unpaid leave. The reforms will extend protection to a much broader range of modern family relationships than employment law has previously recognised.
Although many employers already offer compassionate or bereavement leave, provision is largely discretionary. The new rights will create a minimum legal standard, so employers, payroll professionals and HR teams should review policies, procedures, systems, manager training and employee communications well before implementation.
A compassionate change in employment rights
Employment law has long struggled to keep pace with modern family life and the profound impact bereavement can have on employees. The Government’s announcement recognises a simple but important principle: people should not have to worry about taking time away from work while coping with the death of a loved one or the heartbreak of pregnancy loss.
The Government’s announcement recognises a simple but important principle: people should not have to worry about taking time away from work when coping with the death of a loved one or the heartbreak of pregnancy loss. The changes form part of the Government’s wider employment reforms and are intended to provide workers with a clear legal safety net during some of life’s most difficult moments.
The reforms follow extensive consultation and campaigning, particularly around the lack of legal support available to those experiencing pregnancy loss before 24 weeks. The Government has confirmed that the changes will be introduced through secondary legislation during 2027, with implementation scheduled for April 2027.
What are the new bereavement leave rights?
From April 2027, employees who experience the death of a close family member will be entitled to a statutory right to bereavement leave. The right will apply following the death of:
- A spouse
- A partner
- A parent
- An adult child
- A sibling
Importantly, the legislation will recognise a wider range of family relationships than many existing workplace policies. Protection will extend to:
- Step-relatives
- Half-relatives
- Adoptive relationships
- Kinship care relationships
- Foster relationships
This represents a significant development and reflects the reality that family structures are increasingly diverse. The death of a foster child, stepchild, adoptive parent or kinship carer can have an impact every bit as significant as the loss of a biological relative.
What about pregnancy loss?
One of the most notable aspects of the reforms is the introduction of leave for pregnancy loss occurring before 24 weeks.
Currently, statutory parental bereavement leave generally applies where there has been a stillbirth after 24 weeks or the death of a child under 18. The new measures address a gap in the law by recognising pregnancy loss before that point.
Under the new rules, women and their partners who experience pregnancy loss before 24 weeks will be entitled to up to two weeks of unpaid leave. This will apply to:
- Miscarriage
- Pregnancy termination
- Unsuccessful IVF embryo transfer
The entitlement will not be limited to the pregnant individual. It will also apply to:
- Partners
- The other biological parent
- Intended parents in a surrogacy arrangement
This broader approach acknowledges that pregnancy loss affects entire families and not solely the person carrying the pregnancy.
Will the leave be paid?
At present, the Government has confirmed that pregnancy loss leave will be unpaid. The announcements relating to the wider bereavement leave entitlement focus on establishing a statutory right to leave rather than creating a statutory payment.
Many employers already provide paid compassionate leave as part of their employee wellbeing strategy. Organisations should therefore carefully review whether their current policies continue to reflect their culture and employee value proposition.
The introduction of a statutory minimum should not automatically be viewed as a target. Employers who already offer enhanced support may wish to retain or expand existing arrangements.
How will the leave be taken?
The Government has confirmed several practical arrangements which employers should note:
Flexible use
Bereavement leave can be taken flexibly within 56 weeks of the loss rather than immediately after the bereavement. This recognises that grief does not operate to a timetable and that significant events such as funerals, anniversaries, inquests or family arrangements may occur many months later.
Single days permitted
Employees will be able to take the leave as individual days rather than being required to take a continuous block of absence. This flexibility is likely to be welcomed by both employees and employers.
Notification requirements
Where bereavement leave is taken during the first eight weeks following the loss, employees will only be required to notify their employer as soon as reasonably practicable rather than providing advance notice.
No evidence requirement
Perhaps most importantly, employees will not be required to provide evidence of their loss. The Government has stated that this is intended to protect privacy and dignity during deeply distressing circumstances.
Employment protections
Employees who exercise their statutory right will be protected from detriment or dismissal. Employers will therefore need to ensure that policies, management decisions and attendance management processes fully reflect these new protections.
What should employers do now?
Although implementation is scheduled for April 2027, employers should begin preparations well in advance.
1. Review Bereavement and Compassionate Leave Policies
Many existing policies are likely to be narrower than the new statutory requirements.
Employers should assess:
- Eligibility criteria
- Definitions of family relationships
- Leave duration
- Paid versus unpaid provisions
- Notification procedures
- Evidence requirements
Any policy that restricts leave to immediate biological relatives may require significant revision.
2. Assess Contractual Enhancements
Employers offering enhanced contractual bereavement leave should review how statutory rights will interact with existing benefits.
Questions to consider include:
- Will contractual benefits remain unchanged?
- Will pregnancy loss leave be paid?
- Will enhanced provisions extend beyond statutory minimums?
Clear drafting will be essential to avoid confusion.
3. Update HR and Payroll Systems
Payroll and HR platforms must be capable of recording:
- Bereavement leave
- Pregnancy loss leave
- Day-one eligibility
- Flexible leave usage
- Absence reporting requirements
Organisations should engage with software providers early to understand any system changes that may be required.
4. Train Managers
Policies alone are not enough.
Line managers will often be the first point of contact when an employee experiences bereavement or pregnancy loss. Training should cover:
- Legal obligations
- Appropriate conversations
- Confidentiality requirements
- Signposting to support services
- Avoiding discriminatory or insensitive responses
Failure to handle these situations appropriately can have lasting consequences for employee wellbeing and organisational culture.
5. Review Wellbeing Support
The reforms provide an opportunity for organisations to review wider employee support mechanisms, including:
- Employee assistance programmes
- Mental health support
- Occupational health referrals
- Counselling services
- Flexible working arrangements
The statutory entitlement represents a minimum legal obligation. Effective employee support often requires a more holistic response.
6. Prepare Employee Communications
Many employees may be unaware of the forthcoming changes.
Employers should consider developing communication plans explaining:
- New entitlements
- Eligibility criteria
- How leave can be requested
- Available wellbeing support
Clear communication will help foster trust and ensure employees feel supported should they need to access the new rights.
The wider significance for employers
These reforms are about more than compliance. They reflect a broader shift in workplace expectations around family support, wellbeing and inclusion, and a growing recognition that work needs to respond more thoughtfully to the realities of people’s lives.
The recognition of step-families, foster relationships, adoptive families and kinship carers acknowledges that traditional definitions of family no longer reflect the reality of many employees’ lives. Likewise, recognising pregnancy loss as a bereavement matter represents a significant cultural and legal shift. For employers, this is an opportunity to remove unnecessary friction at one of the most difficult points in an employee’s working life, replacing uncertainty and rigid processes with greater clarity, flexibility and compassion.
Employers who approach these changes solely as a legislative exercise risk missing the wider opportunity. Worklife Reinvention is about rethinking how people, processes and technology come together to make work better. Here, that means creating policies that reflect real lives, equipping managers to respond confidently and compassionately, and ensuring HR and payroll systems make the right support easy to access. Organisations that take this more joined-up approach are likely to strengthen employee trust, engagement, retention and wellbeing.
Final thoughts
The introduction of statutory bereavement leave and pregnancy loss leave from April 2027 marks a major change in UK employment rights. For the first time, many employees will have a guaranteed legal entitlement to time away from work following the loss of close family members or the experience of pregnancy loss before 24 weeks.
While many employers already provide compassionate support, the new legislation creates a consistent national baseline and introduces important safeguards around flexibility, notification requirements, privacy and protection from detriment.
As with any employment law reform, successful implementation will depend on early preparation. Employers should use the time between now and April 2027 to review policies, update systems, train managers and communicate clearly. Done well, this is not simply a compliance exercise. It is a chance to remove friction for employees and managers, create greater confidence around difficult conversations, and build a more responsive and human working experience that reflects both the letter of the law and the spirit of compassion behind these important changes.
You may also wish to take a step further and have an occupational pay scheme, as times of loss are devastating for your workers, and paid leave may mean the difference between them being able to take time away to grieve, or have to stay in work.
