Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave: A new right for grieving parents

May 2026

For parents facing the death of a partner in the first year of their child’s life, everyday practicalities can feel impossible alongside the shock of loss. From April 2026, a new right to time away from work will offer some protection and space at an unimaginably difficult time.

Bereaved partners in England, Scotland and Wales have a new workplace right during one of the most difficult times for grieving families. Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave gives employed fathers and partners a day-one entitlement to take up to 52 weeks of unpaid leave if their partner dies during their child’s first year of life, or within the first year of adoption.

This new right recognises the unique and profound challenges faced by bereaved partners who must navigate both grief and the immediate responsibilities of caring for a baby or newly placed child. The entitlement applies to employees who are the child’s father or the partner, spouse or civil partner of the mother or adopter – provided they have main responsibility for the child’s upbringing and are taking the leave to care for them.

The leave is available from the first day of employment and can be taken at short notice, reflecting the sudden and life-altering nature of the bereavement. Bereaved partners are also protected from redundancy while on leave, with enhanced protection extending to 18 months where at least six consecutive weeks of leave are taken. 

Why this matters?

This change is important because, until now, some bereaved parents in this situation  – particularly those who had recently moved jobs – did not have access to a period of statutory leave. Some were supported by understanding employers, but others were left trying to navigate funeral arrangements, sleepless nights, paperwork, childcare and overwhelming grief without a safety net. 

This new entitlement addresses this gap: providing protected time to care for a child and to begin adjusting to a life that has changed irrevocably. Around 90 families across Great Britain are expected to benefit each year, providing reassurance that affected parents can take the time they need to care for their child without the added pressure of returning to work prematurely.

How the change came about

The change in law grew out of one bereaved father’s experience. After Aaron Horsey’s wife died shortly after childbirth in 2022, he found that, despite everything he was facing, he was not entitled to statutory leave because of a recent change in his employment.

“When my late wife passed away, I was quite shocked to find that there was no leave immediately available to me to look after our newborn son,” Aaron told us. “I had a supportive employer, but it was still terrifyingly difficult to negotiate with them, care for a newborn, and grieve all at once. Something needed to change.”

“The campaign for Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave started with a simple email to my MP and evolved into a four-year phenomenon spanning two governments,” he said. “I would have fought for another four years to ensure nobody ended up in the same situation. However, the campaign showed politics moving at, believe it or not, lightning pace – and certainly at its best. Our representatives and their officials worked together, diligently and collaboratively, to bring about a change that now protects families (whilst also supporting their employers) to help them do what we all want to do: help and care.”

Aaron’s efforts led to the introduction of a Private Member’s Bill in December 2023 by Chris Elmore, the Labour MP for Bridgend, and ultimately became law as the Paternity Leave (Bereavement) Act when it received Royal Assent in May 2024.

Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave sits alongside other bereavement-related rights, including Parental Bereavement Leave, and a broader Bereavement Leave entitlement expected in 2027, as part of a wider framework of support for families experiencing loss.

“While legislation cannot ease the pain of bereavement,” a spokesperson from the Department for Business and Trade said, “it can help remove some of the practical barriers and provide grieving partners with the time and space they need at an unimaginably difficult time.”

“This change represents a small but significant step towards a more compassionate and consistent system of workplace support,” she added. “For the families affected each year, it offers reassurance that they will not have to choose between work and caring for their child during a period of unimaginable grief.”

Bereaved parents who may be affected, as well as employers seeking to understand their responsibilities, can find full details of eligibility and how the leave can be taken on the GOV.UK website.