Closed petition: Extend parental bereavement leave to 4 weeks after the loss of a child

Closed on 7 February 2026

Currently, bereavement leave for parents after the loss of a child is two weeks. We believe this is not enough time to begin to grieve or plan and have the funeral before returning to work. We want to get the law changed so parents have more time to grieve after such a huge loss.

We urge the Government to extend it by a further two weeks so that it is four weeks. This can ensure more time for parents to be able to start their grief process. We believe after the tragic loss of a child; two weeks is not enough time to bury or begin the grieving process. We believe there is no time limit on grief. We want this change to help parents feel like they matter.