Statutory Parental Bereavement Leave - claims before 6 April 2026
Employer guidance on statutory leave entitlement for an employee whose child has died or was stillborn.
Please note: If an employee's child has died or was stillborn on or after 6 April 2026, please refer to the updated legislative guidance for Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay. This updated guidance also covers the new rules for employees who have experienced a miscarriage, which apply only to cases on or after 6 April 2026.
An employee can take 2 weeks’ leave from the first day of their employment for each child who has died or was stillborn.
They can choose to take:
- 2 weeks together
- 2 separate weeks of leave
- only one week of leave
The leave:
- can start on or after the date of the death or stillbirth
- must finish within 56 weeks of the date of the death or stillbirth
Taking leave with other types of statutory leave
If the employee was on another type of statutory leave when the death or stillbirth happened, Parental Bereavement Leave must start after that other leave has ended. This includes whether the statutory leave is for another child.
If an employee’s Parental Bereavement Leave is interrupted by the start of another type of statutory leave, they can take their remaining entitlement to Parental Bereavement Leave after that other leave has ended.
The remaining Parental Bereavement Leave must still be taken within 56 weeks of the date of death or stillbirth.
Parental Bereavement Leave can be taken between blocks of shared parental leave that had already been booked when the child died, even if the shared parental leave is for another child.