<-- Back to proposed bills

Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay

04 February 2020

Proposing MP
South Northamptonshire
Type
Written Ministerial Statement
Department
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

At a Glance

Issue Summary

The Government is implementing statutory Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay for employed parents in Great Britain whose child dies or suffers a stillbirth.

Action Requested

Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Parental Bereavement Leave Regulations will give all employed parents a minimum of 2 weeks’ leave when their child under 18 dies or they suffer a stillbirth from 24 weeks of pregnancy. Parents who have worked for at least 6 months are also entitled to Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay.

Key Facts

  • The Parental Bereavement Leave Regulations were laid in Parliament on 23rd January 2020.
  • There are around 7,500 child deaths a year in Great Britain, including approximately 3,000 stillbirths.
  • The new entitlement will help support over 10,000 GB parents annually.
  • Parental Bereavement Leave is a “Day 1” right for all employed parents regardless of their length of service.
  • Employed parents can take the leave as either a single block of 2 weeks or two separate blocks of one week each.
  • The entitlement applies to parents who lose a child on or after 6 April 2020.
Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy