AtaLoss welcomes wider right to bereavement leave

Author: Deborah Auty

Date: 23rd September, 2026

Overview: New employment rights will give more people protected time away from work following the death or a close family member or a pregnancy loss.

AtaLoss has welcomed new employment rights that will give millions more people protected time away from work following the death of a close family member or a pregnancy loss.

From April 2027, employees in England, Scotland and Wales will have a day-one right to take up to two weeks of unpaid bereavement leave following the death of a spouse or partner, parent, adult child or sibling.

Importantly, the definition of family recognises the realities of modern family life. It will include biological, adoptive, step and half-relations, as well as equivalent parental relationships for people raised in kinship care or by foster carers.

The new entitlement will also apply to people experiencing pregnancy loss before 24 weeks, including miscarriage, ectopic and molar pregnancies, terminations and unsuccessful IVF embryo transfers. Partners, other biological parents, intended co-parents and intended parents in surrogacy arrangements will also be eligible.

Employees will be able to take the leave flexibly within 56 weeks of the bereavement, including as individual days.

The change extends current employment law following the introduction in April 2020 of two weeks’ leave entitlement for parents following the death of a child, from 24 weeks’ gestation to 18 years. Until now bereaved employees have depended on the policies and discretion of individual employers.

Yvonne Tulloch, Founder and CEO of AtaLoss, said:

“We warmly welcome this new legislation and thank the government for listening. It recognises that grief is not determined by biological ties or conventional family labels. Human beings grieve the importance of another person, whoever they may be. The death of a stepparent, adopted sibling, foster carer or another person who has fulfilled a close family role can have a profound and lasting impact.

“Having been involved in the consultation, we are delighted that the legislation is validating the loss of a range of relationships, and that it also recognises that time off may be needed at times other than around the death. Practical tasks and challenges associated with a death can extend many months, even years into the future, and emotional pain can heighten weeks and months after a funeral, or be triggered around a later anniversary or event. The government has given employees the right to take their time off when they need it for the period of a year.

“We would encourage employers to regard this new entitlement as a minimum, allowing more unpaid leave if requested, and to consider paid leave wherever possible to help employees adjust to new financial circumstances. This can be an investment worth making. Flexible bereavement policies, sensitive management and signposting to support are all needed and can make an enormous difference in preventing mental and physical ill health and retaining valuable staff."

AtaLoss has long called for bereavement to be better understood and supported across workplaces and public services. Bereavement affects people differently, and the support needed will vary according to the relationship, circumstances of the death and its wider impact on the individual and family.

The new statutory entitlement establishes an important safety net. AtaLoss encourages employers to prepare for its introduction by reviewing their bereavement policies, training managers and ensuring employees know where they can find further help. AtaLoss can help with all of these to support bereavement being navigated healthily, reducing the need for therapy. See Bereavement Training from AtaLoss.

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AtaLoss is a UK wide charity helping bereaved people find support and wellbeing by raising awareness about the impact of bereavement; directing to help through the signposting website ataloss.org; and equipping community support, including training for organisations and The Bereavement Journey® peer support programme.

Yvonne Tulloch, AtaLoss CEO and Founder, is available by prior arrangement.

Media interviews can be arranged by WhatsApp message to Adam May on 07736 949 869 or by emailing press@ataloss.org.

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