Andy Burnham Pushes for Major Law Change Amidst Baby Loss Crisis

To mark National Baby Loss Awareness Week, Andy Burnham has issued a poignant message to individuals and families affected by baby and pregnancy loss, coinciding with a significant forthcoming change in UK law. The government recently announced amendments to bereavement leave rights, which are set to expand considerably, offering much-needed support to those experiencing profound grief.

From next April, a crucial update to the 2025 Employment Rights Act will ensure that women and their partners who experience a pregnancy loss before 24 weeks will be entitled to up to two weeks of unpaid time off work. This critical change encompasses various difficult situations, including miscarriage, termination, and unsuccessful IVF embryo transfers. This new entitlement is in addition to the existing legal right to leave for parents who experience a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy or the tragic death of a child under the age of 18.

The Prime Minister reiterated his unwavering commitment to these legal amendments in a social media post on October 12, acknowledging the immense heartbreak caused by baby and pregnancy loss across the UK. He stated, "I want to recognise the heartbreak that baby and pregnancy loss causes parents and families across the UK. I will be thinking of everyone who has suffered such a devastating loss this week. And I want to do more to help." Highlighting the current gap where there is no legal right to bereavement leave for losses before 24 weeks, he affirmed, "I'm changing that. From April, women and their partners will be entitled to two weeks leave following any pregnancy loss." While acknowledging it's "not perfect," he described it as a vital "first step" to establish a basic right, urging employers to go further by offering paid leave where possible.

Beyond early pregnancy loss, the scope of bereavement leave is also set to broaden to include a wider range of family relationships. This will extend to workers who tragically lose a spouse or partner, parent, adult child, or sibling. Significantly, the updated legislation will also incorporate step and half relatives, as well as adoptive, kinship care, and foster relationships, which previously lacked specific legal protection regarding leave. Work minister Kate Dearden emphasized the importance of these changes, stating, “No-one should have to fight for time to grieve. These changes back people going through some of the hardest moments of life, whoever they are and wherever they work. I want to thank the campaigners whose courage and testimonies have made this change happen.”

In conjunction with these bereavement rights, improving maternity care remains a key priority for the government. Urgent action is being driven to elevate standards through the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, tasked with delivering essential reforms to ensure the highest levels of safety and care for every mother and baby. A new action plan is slated for publication by the end of the year to hold the system accountable. Furthermore, increased investment in maternity care is underway, alongside the extension of Martha's Rule to every hospital ward, aimed at providing better care and recourse for patients. The Prime Minister concluded his message with words of solace, "To everyone carrying the pain of baby or pregnancy loss, please know that your grief matters, and you are not alone."