UK Government backs bereavement leave after miscarriage.

The UK Government has expressed support for bereavement leave for couples who experience a miscarriage. Business Minister, Justin Madders, acknowledged the importance of this right and indicated that it could be added to the Employment Rights Bill.

Currently, bereavement leave is only available for stillbirths after 24 weeks of pregnancy, which makes it incredibly hard for people who have lost a baby earlier than that. Many parents who experience miscarriage before this point are expected to return to work immediately, despite dealing with both physical and emotional trauma. 

Labour MP, Sarah Owen, has been leading the push to extend these rights. In 2021, drawing from her own painful experience of miscarriage, she described struggling with grief, unable to eat or sleep, and feeling as if life would never get brighter.

Justin Madders praised Sarah Owen for her efforts and personal testimony, acknowledging that there is a clear gap in support for grieving parents. The proposed amendment would grant two weeks of leave for parents who experience pregnancy loss. While the Government’s commitment currently appears to be for unpaid leave, organisations such as the Miscarriage Association see it as a significant step forward, recognising that miscarriage is not just a medical event but a also a bereavement.

While some MPs support these changes, concerns have been raised about the balance between employee and employer rights. However, for many parents who have experienced pregnancy loss, the recognition of their grief in employment law would be a long-overdue and meaningful change.