Bereavement Leave Is Changing: What UK Employers Need to Know
Bereavement Leave Is Changing: What UK Employers Need to Know
The Government has today (22nd September 2026) confirmed significant changes to bereavement leave rights in the UK, extending statutory protection to many more employees dealing with the loss of a loved one or a pregnancy.
The changes are due to come into effect from April 2027 and will introduce a new statutory right to bereavement leave. For employers, the announcement means it will be important to review existing bereavement and compassionate leave policies ahead of the new rules coming into force.
What is changing?
Under the new rules, employees who lose a spouse or partner, parent, adult child or sibling will have a legal right to take bereavement leave.
Importantly, the definition of family relationships will be broader than many employers might expect. The new protection will also recognise stepfamilies, half-relatives, adoptive relationships, kinship care and foster relationships.
This represents a considerable expansion of statutory bereavement rights. At present, specific statutory bereavement leave protections are much more limited.
Pregnancy loss will also be covered
One of the most significant elements of the announcement is the extension of bereavement leave to pregnancy loss before 24 weeks.
Women and their partners who experience pregnancy loss will be entitled to up to two weeks of unpaid leave. The Government has confirmed that this will include miscarriage, termination and unsuccessful IVF embryo transfer.
This addresses an area where many employees have previously had to rely on their employer's own compassionate leave arrangements, sickness absence provisions or annual leave.
How much leave will employees receive?
The new statutory bereavement entitlement will provide eligible employees with up to two weeks of unpaid leave.
The Government has also confirmed that employees will have considerable flexibility over when that leave is taken.
Leave will be available within 56 weeks of the loss and can be taken as individual days rather than necessarily having to be taken as one continuous block.
That flexibility recognises an important reality about bereavement: people do not necessarily experience grief according to a convenient timetable. An employee might need time immediately following a death, for a funeral several weeks later, or around an anniversary or other significant date.
Will employees have to provide evidence?
Another important aspect of the new rules is that employees will not be required to provide evidence of their loss.
During the first eight weeks following a bereavement, employees will only be expected to notify their employer as soon as reasonably practicable rather than having to provide advance notice.
Employees exercising their statutory right to bereavement leave will also be protected against detriment or dismissal because they have taken the leave.
Is bereavement leave going to be paid?
The statutory entitlement announced by the Government is to unpaid leave.
That does not prevent employers from offering something more generous.
Many organisations already provide paid compassionate or bereavement leave as part of their employment package. Those employers will therefore need to consider how their existing arrangements interact with the new statutory entitlement.
For employers that currently have no formal bereavement policy, or provide leave entirely at management discretion, the change is likely to be more significant.
What should employers do now?
The changes are not expected to take effect until April 2027, with the detailed provisions being introduced through secondary legislation.
There is therefore time to prepare, but employers should consider reviewing their policies sooner rather than later.
In particular, organisations should look at their existing definitions of "family" and "dependant", how much bereavement or compassionate leave they currently provide, whether that leave is paid or unpaid, and what notification or evidence they currently ask employees to provide.
Managers will also need to understand that the new statutory entitlement is intended to operate flexibly. A rigid approach to bereavement absence may therefore need to be reconsidered.
More than a compliance exercise
Although the announcement creates a new legal minimum, bereavement remains an area where workplace culture matters just as much as policy wording.
ACAS already recommends that employers have a clear bereavement policy covering matters such as the amount of leave and pay available, how an employee should notify their employer, what happens if additional time is needed and how the employee's return to work will be managed.
The forthcoming legislation gives employers a useful opportunity to review those arrangements more broadly.
For some organisations, complying with the new law may simply mean making relatively minor amendments to an already generous compassionate leave policy. For others, it could require a much more substantial rethink.
Either way, employers now have a clear date to work towards: April 2027. With bereavement being one of the most difficult experiences an employee is likely to face during their working life, having a policy that is clear, compassionate and legally compliant can make an enormous difference when that support is needed most.
Watch our video
Check out our video on other upcoming changes in October 2026
I want some HR Help from Haylo HR ✅
We support your business with getting its HR foundations right, without stopping you from doing what you love. Get in contact for more details!
How do I get in contact?
Feel free to email us or book a free consultation.
Follow us on our social media platforms!
Disclaimer
All information within the post is provided for guidance only; always seek your own legal advice.
The information with this post was correct at the time of publishing, August 2026 but may be subject to change.
Comments