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Parental Bereavement Legislation on par with UK Maternity/Paternity Legislation

Submitted by Jennifer Irene Mary Wotton on Thursday 15th January 2026

Published on Friday 13th February 2026

Current status: Open

Open until: Thursday 13th August 2026

Current Signatures: 28
(count is updated approximately hourly)

Relevant Departments

Tagged with

Bereaved parents ~ Change ~ Changing ~ Child ~ Dignity ~ Equal ~ Grieve ~ Law ~ Loss ~ Maternity ~ Parent ~ Paternity ~ Return ~ society ~ The Law ~ UK law ~ weeks ~ work

Petition Action

Parental Bereavement Legislation on par with UK Maternity/Paternity Legislation

Petition Details

Every parent who loses a child should have the time and financial support to grieve — just as parents are supported when welcoming a child. UK law provides only 2 weeks statutory parental bereavement leave (often unpaid), leaving parents to return to work far too soon after unimaginable loss.

Additional Information

We call on the government to amend the law so all parents who lose a child, regardless of age, receive statutory leave and pay equal to maternity/paternity leave. This would give bereaved parents the time, dignity, and support they need to grieve.

Society recognises the birth of a child as life-changing — it must also recognise child loss as equally profound. In the UK, maternity leave can be up to 52 weeks, yet bereaved parents currently get only 2 weeks. This is not equality — it must change.


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216.73.216.219 Wed, 03 Jun 2026 23:33:58 +0100