MPs Call for Paid Bereavement Leave for Miscarriages Before 24 Weeks

The Women and Equalities Committee urges legal amendments to provide grieving parents with paid leave after early pregnancy losses.

Currently, statutory bereavement leave is only available for stillbirths after 24 weeks of pregnancy, leaving a gap for earlier losses like miscarriages.
The Women and Equalities Committee recommends extending the two-week paid leave to cover miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, and other early pregnancy losses.
An estimated 1 in 5 pregnancies ends before 24 weeks, with many women forced to take sick leave, which is deemed inadequate and lacks confidentiality.
The proposed amendments to the Employment Rights Bill aim to establish a legal minimum standard for supporting grieving parents in the workplace.
MPs and advocates emphasize the emotional and physical toll of early pregnancy loss, calling for greater compassion and statutory support for affected families.