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The amendment would give individuals experiencing pregnancy loss at any stage the legal right to take time off work to grieve — seeking to offer much-needed support in such instances.
Each year, around 250,000 employees in the UK experience pregnancy loss through miscarriage, with a further 12,000 affected by ectopic pregnancies. These sobering figures have prompted growing concern, leading the Government to amend the Employment Rights Bill to extend bereavement leave to those affected by pregnancy loss.
The amendments, announced on 7 July 2025 (Monday), will give individuals experiencing pregnancy loss at any stage the legal right to take time off work to grieve — seeking to offer much-needed support in such instances. This move is expected to form part of the most significant uplift in workers’ rights in a generation, potentially benefitting half of all UK workers.
The announcement follows a campaign led by Sarah Owen, MP and Chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee. The Government has now agreed to bring forward an amendment in the House of Lords to make these changes a reality.
"From my personal experience of miscarriage to the powerful testimony the Women & Equalities Select Committee heard, I know the difference that bereavement leave will make.
"It is a bold and necessary move from this Government to see the UK become one of only a handful of countries in the world to recognise pregnancy loss as a bereavement and give workers the right to take time off to grieve," she said.
"Nothing will ever take away the pain of losing a pregnancy, but this law change will provide workers with the security of time to grieve and help end the stigma of miscarriage for good."
Until now, statutory Parental Bereavement Leave has only been available to parents who lose a child under 18 or experience stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy. This compassionate reform acknowledges that the grief following pregnancy loss can be just as profound, regardless of when it happens.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: "No one who is going through the heartbreak of pregnancy loss should have to go back to work before they are ready.
"I am proud that this Government is introducing a day one right to protected time off work after experiencing pregnancy loss, giving people time away from work to grieve and spend time with their families."
This announcement follows the launch of the Parental Leave and Pay Review, which aims to improve the parental leave system for millions of families and ensure a better start to life for all children.
The new amendments will be designed to work for businesses, workers, and trade unions alike, as part of the Government’s broader Plan to Make Work Pay. They have been shaped by engagement with more than 190 businesses and other key stakeholders over the past 12 months to ensure a balanced and effective approach.
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