Closed petition Extend statutory two weeks’ paid bereavement leave to all employees

Closed on 10 July 2022

The Government should extend the statutory two-week paid leave for parents who suffer a stillbirth or lose a child up to the age of 18 to all employees who suffer the loss of a close family member.

There is already a Private Members' Bill before Parliament calling for this to happen. If it passes it would see the introduction of statutory paid bereavement leave for all those who lose a close relative.

We support it, and if passed should help mitigate adverse long-term consequences for the mental & physical health of those bereaved & so also be beneficial to our wider society & economy.

As Patricia Gibson MP said, “relying on an employer’s goodwill to grant compassionate leave is unfair and clearly doesn’t work, with the greatest impact being felt by those on low incomes”.