The BEIS have confirmed that the new Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Act received Royal Assent on 13 September 2018 and provides a new workplace right to leave for bereaved parents. The Act, aimed at providing support to those parents affected by the tragedy of childhood mortality, is expected to come into force in 2020, along with forthcoming Regulations which will expand on the core provisions. It will give all employed parents a day-one right to 2 weeks’ leave if they lose a child under the age of 18, or suffer a stillbirth from 24 weeks of pregnancy. Employed parents will also be able to claim pay for this period, subject to meeting eligibility criteria which include having at least 26 weeks continuous service by the end of the week immediately before the one in which the child dies (the ‘relevant week’) and the person’s normal weekly earnings for the period of 8 weeks ending with the relevant week are not less than the lower earnings limit.

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