Regulations have been laid before Parliament that will give parents the right to paid parental bereavement leave from 6 April 2020 if they lose a child under the age of 18 or suffer a stillbirth after 24 weeks.
The Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay Regulations 2020 will give all employed parents a statutory right to two weeks leave if they lose a child under the age of 18 or suffer a stillbirth after 24 weeks. Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Regulations will take effect on 6 April 2020 and will apply irrespective of how long the parent has worked for their employer.
Parents employed in a job for six months or more will also be able to claim statutory pay for this period. The leave is paid at the lower of £151.20 per week or 90% of salary and is identical to the statutory pay for other types of family leave such as statutory paternity pay. The notice requirements to take the leave and pay are a bit complicated, given the circumstances.
Parents have the option to take the leave as one two-week block or in two separate weeks within the 56 weeks after the child’s death. This is aimed at giving parents the option of taking leave whenever they need it most, including around the anniversary of the child’s death.