What leave can I get if my child dies?

For employees in England, Scotland or Wales whose child has died before turning 18, or who have had a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Applies to: England, Scotland, Wales Last checked against official sources: 30 September 2026

If your child dies before 18, or you have a stillbirth after 24 weeks, you may get Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay. You can take 2 weeks' leave from day one of employment, together or as 2 separate weeks.

Take it within 56 weeks of the death.
Pay is £194.32 a week or 90% of earnings, whichever is lower.
Your employment rights are protected.
Northern Ireland has different rules for bereavements from 6 April 2026.

Different in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

Rules may be different in:

Northern Ireland: Check nidirect for Northern Ireland

Key facts

2 weeks' leave
Day-one right
Within 56 weeks

Leave and pay at a glance

There are two separate rights. You may get one, both or neither, depending on your job.

	Parental Bereavement Leave	Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay
How much	Up to 2 weeks for each child	£194.32 a week, or 90% of your average weekly earnings if that is lower (2026/27)
Who can get it	Employees, from day one in the job	Employees with at least 26 weeks' service who earn on average £129 a week or more
Time limit	Must end within 56 weeks of the death or stillbirth	Ask in writing within 28 days (see below)

Pay is paid in the same way as your wages, with tax and National Insurance taken off.

Who counts as a parent

You may qualify if you are:

the child's parent: biological, adoptive, or a parent of a child born to a surrogate
the partner of the child's parent
someone who had day-to-day care of the child, or whose partner did, if the child lived with you for 4 weeks in a row up to the death

The pay conditions in detail

To get pay, you must:

have worked for your employer without a break for at least 26 weeks up to the end of the "relevant week"
earn on average £129 a week before tax, over an 8-week period
still be employed on the day of the death or stillbirth

How to take the leave

You can take 1 week, 2 weeks in a row, or 2 separate weeks. A "week" means your normal working week. For example, if you only work Mondays and Tuesdays, a week of leave is 2 days.

If you were already on maternity, paternity or shared parental leave, bereavement leave starts after that leave ends. It must still finish within the 56 weeks.

Telling your employer

When you take leave	Notice you must give
Within 8 weeks of the death	Before you would normally start work on the first day
From week 9 to week 56	At least 1 week before the leave starts

Tell your employer the date of the death, when the leave starts and whether it is 1 or 2 weeks.

To claim pay, ask in writing within 28 days, starting from the first day of the week you are claiming for. Give your name, the dates you want pay for and the date of the death or stillbirth. You also sign a declaration that you are eligible, online, in writing or on your employer's form.

Your job is protected

While on leave you keep your employment rights, including pay rises, building up holiday and returning to your job.

If you work in Northern Ireland

Different rules apply to bereavements on or after 6 April 2026. You can take 2 weeks' leave from your first day in the job. The right now also covers miscarriage before 24 weeks, including the partner who would have been a parent. Pay is the same weekly rate. nidirect says being new to a job or not having a full pay history should not stop you getting pay.

Related guides

Where these figures come from

Get it done

This takes you to the official service, which is free to use.

See how to claim

Common questions

Who can get Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay?

You must have worked for your employer continuously for at least 26 weeks and earn on average £129 a week before tax. You must also still be employed on the date of the death or stillbirth.

Can I take parental bereavement leave as separate weeks?

Yes, you can take 2 weeks together, 2 separate weeks or just one week. The leave must finish within 56 weeks of the death or stillbirth.

How much notice do I need to give for parental bereavement leave?

Within 8 weeks of the death, you only need to tell your employer before you would normally start work on the first day. After 8 weeks, you must give at least one week's notice.

How does parental bereavement leave work if I'm part-time?

A week of leave is the same number of days you normally work in a week. For example, if you work 2 days a week, a week of leave is 2 days.

Official sources

1.Parental bereavement: what you're entitled towww.gov.uk/parental-bereavement-pay-leave/what-you-are-entitled-to
2.Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay and Leavewww.gov.uk/parental-bereavement-pay-leave
3.Parental bereavement: check if you're eligiblewww.gov.uk/parental-bereavement-pay-leave/check-if-youre-eligible
4.Parental bereavement: how to claimwww.gov.uk/parental-bereavement-pay-leave/how-to-claim

Checked against GOV.UK on 30 September 2026

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