Local MP Gareth Snell welcomes new right to bereavement leave

Gareth Snell, the local Member of Parliament for Stoke-on-Trent Central, has welcomed the Government’s introduction of new measures to give employees in Stoke-on-Trent the right to bereavement leave, delivering greater security and fairness at work.

People who lose a loved one or experience the heartbreak of pregnancy loss, will gain new rights to take time off work under major changes confirmed by the Government.

After years of inconsistency and confusion about protections they might be entitled to, grieving employees in Stoke-on-Trent will no longer have to fight for time to recover from loss.

Kate Dearden, the Minister of State for the Future of Work, will introduce a new legal right to bereavement leave, from April 2027, for employees who lose a spouse or partner, parent, adult child or sibling.

The Minister will also introduce measures to expand Parental Bereavement Leave to women and their partners, including intended parents in surrogacy arrangements, who experience a pregnancy loss before 24 weeks – including miscarriage, terminations and unsuccessful IVF embryo transfers – will be entitled to up to two weeks of unpaid leave. This gives people the necessary time and security to grieve during one of the hardest moments in their lives.

This announcement will also bring the UK’s laws into the 21st century as it will also include step, half, adoptive, kinship care and foster relationships who currently have no legal right to bereavement leave.

These fundamental changes fill a vital gap in employment law that mean employees are only able to take bereavement leave at employer discretion, recognising that every family deserves the time and space to mourn the people they love, and that Parental Bereavement Leave must be extended to those who are currently excluded.

This leave can be taken flexibly within 56 weeks of the loss, including as single days, enabling workers to grieve in the way that works for them. No one will be asked or required to provide evidence of their loss, helping to protect employees’ privacy and dignity at a deeply distressing time.

Gareth said: “Behind every bereavement is a family navigating heartbreak and loss. The right to take time away from work to grieve should be available to everyone, not just a fortunate few. I am proud that our Labour Government is delivering a new legal right to bereavement leave for all employees.

“For families in Stoke-on-Trent, this will mean greater protection, dignity and support, giving people the breathing space they need to mourn and heal without added worry or pressure from work.”

Pregnancy loss changes build on the existing right to Parental Bereavement Leave for parents who experience a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy or the death of a child under 18. The government is currently undertaking a wider, comprehensive review of the parental leave and pay system including on areas such as ‘Hugh’s Law’ and the rights of parents with terminally ill children.