By From April 2027, UK employees will gain a statutory right to bereavement leave, according to HR News. The change moves bereavement leave from a discretionary compassionate request to a legal entitlement, with protection from dismissal or detrimental treatment for anyone who exercises the right.
The new right applies from the first day of employment, with no qualifying service period. Eligible employees can take up to two weeks’ leave, unpaid, within 56 weeks of the loss. Employers may offer enhanced contractual terms, including paid leave or longer absence, but the statutory minimum is unpaid.
Who is covered and which losses qualify
The entitlement covers the death of a close family member: a spouse or civil partner, long-term partner, parent, adult child, sibling, and step-relatives, half-relatives and adoptive family relationships. It also includes equivalent parental relationships arising through foster care and kinship care arrangements.
The legislation does not extend to grandparents, grandchildren, wider relatives, close friends or chosen family relationships. This is a narrower scope than some employers already offer through contractual compassionate leave policies.
A significant addition is coverage for pregnancy loss before 24 weeks. This includes miscarriage and unsuccessful IVF embryo transfer. Eligible individuals include the person who was pregnant, their spouse or civil partner, the other biological parent, a partner in a committed long-term relationship, an intended co-parent, and intended parents in a surrogacy arrangement.
Where a child under 18 dies, or there is a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy, the existing Parental Bereavement Leave scheme continues to apply. That separate scheme provides two weeks’ leave and may include Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay.
How the leave works in practice
Leave may be taken as a single block or as separate days within the 56-week window. This flexibility matters for grief, which does not follow a neat timetable. An employee might take a few days immediately after a death, then further days around a funeral, an inquest or an anniversary.
Notice requirements vary by timing. If leave is taken within the first eight weeks following the loss, the employee must notify their employer before their normal start time on the day in question, or as soon as reasonably practicable afterwards. If leave is taken more than eight weeks after the loss, the employee must provide one week’s notice.
Employees will not be required to provide documentary evidence of their loss. Any form of notice is expected to be acceptable, including verbal notification, text message, email or written correspondence. This is a deliberate design choice to reduce administrative burden during a difficult time.
What HR and payroll teams should prepare
The absence of an evidence requirement creates practical questions for HR teams. Managers will need clear guidance on what information can be requested and what should not be asked for. Asking for a death certificate or medical evidence would be inappropriate under the new framework.
Payroll teams should prepare for unpaid leave to be recorded separately from other absence categories. Where employers choose to offer paid bereavement leave, payroll will need to distinguish between statutory unpaid entitlement and contractual paid enhancement. This matters for reporting, absence tracking and pay calculations.
Policies and employee handbooks should be reviewed well before April 2027. The changes should be communicated proactively to employees, not left to a policy update buried in an intranet. Clear communication should explain the right, confirm that disclosures will be treated confidentially and sensitively, and set out any enhanced provisions the employer offers.
Training for managers and HR should focus on handling sensitive conversations with compassion and discretion. The notice rules mean a bereaved employee might send a text message on the morning of a funeral. Managers need to know how to respond appropriately without demanding paperwork.
Comparison with existing parental bereavement leave
| Aspect | New bereavement leave (from April 2027) | Parental Bereavement Leave (existing) |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying losses | Close family members; pregnancy loss before 24 weeks | Child under 18 dies; stillbirth after 24 weeks |
| Leave length | Up to 2 weeks | 2 weeks |
| Pay | Unpaid (unless employer enhances) | May qualify for Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay |
| Service requirement | None, day one right | 26 weeks’ continuous service for pay element |
| Window to take leave | 56 weeks from loss | 56 weeks from death or stillbirth |
The two schemes will run alongside each other. An employee who experiences a stillbirth after 24 weeks would fall under Parental Bereavement Leave, not the new scheme. An employee who experiences a miscarriage before 24 weeks would use the new bereavement leave right.
Steps for employers before April 2027
Employers should start preparing now. The first step is a policy review: identify where current compassionate leave provisions sit, whether they meet or exceed the new statutory minimum, and where gaps exist.
The second step is manager training. The no-evidence rule and the flexible notice requirements will be unfamiliar to many line managers. Training should cover the scope of qualifying relationships, the notice rules, and how to handle sensitive conversations without asking for proof of loss.
The third step is employee communication. Employees should understand their rights before they need them. Proactive communication also signals that the organisation treats bereavement seriously, which supports retention and trust.
The new right sets a statutory floor. Employers that already offer paid compassionate leave for a wider range of relationships may need only minor policy adjustments. Employers with minimal provisions will need more substantial changes.
Sources: HR News
Photo: Card, bereavement (AM 2013.24.2-3) by not researched, CC BY 4.0
