Bereavement Leave in the UK — Your Rights Explained

Parental Bereavement Leave — Jack's Law

The only statutory (legally guaranteed) right to bereavement leave in the UK is for parents who have lost a child.

Under the Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Act 2018 — known as Jack's Law — employees are entitled to 2 weeks of leave following:

• The death of a child under the age of 18
• A stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy

This applies to parents, adopters, foster parents, and others with parental responsibility. The leave can be taken in one block of two weeks or as two separate single weeks, and can be taken at any point within 56 weeks of the death.

Parental Bereavement Pay

If you have been with your employer for at least 26 weeks and earn above the lower earnings limit, you are also entitled to Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay — paid at the statutory rate (£184.03 per week as of April 2026, or 90% of your average weekly earnings if that is lower). Employers may offer enhanced pay on top of this.

Bereavement for Other Deaths

There is currently no statutory right to paid bereavement leave for the death of a spouse, civil partner, parent, sibling, grandparent, or any other person who is not a child under 18.

This is a significant gap in UK employment law. In practice, most employers do provide some form of paid leave for close family bereavements, but the amount and whether it is paid is entirely at the employer's discretion unless your contract or company policy specifies otherwise.

What your contract may say

Check your employment contract, staff handbook, or HR policy. Many employers include a compassionate or bereavement leave policy — commonly 2 to 5 days of paid leave for immediate family deaths. If your contract specifies this, it is contractually enforceable.

Time off for dependants

Under the Employment Rights Act 1996, all employees have the right to take a reasonable amount of unpaid time off to deal with unexpected events involving a dependant. This is intended for emergencies — such as the immediate aftermath of a death — rather than extended leave. It is unpaid unless your employer's policy says otherwise.

Compassionate Leave

Compassionate leave is informal leave granted by an employer at their discretion — beyond any statutory minimum. Most decent employers will offer it. It is typically 2 to 5 days of paid leave for close bereavements, though this varies widely.

You are generally on stronger ground to ask for it when:

• The person who died was a close family member (spouse, parent, sibling, child)
• You need time to arrange or attend the funeral
• You are the executor of the estate and have immediate legal responsibilities

For more distant relationships — colleagues, friends, extended family — compassionate leave is still reasonable to request but is more at the employer's discretion.

Talking to Your Employer

You do not need to manage the conversation perfectly. A brief message or call to your manager is enough to start with — details can follow.

You might say something like: "My [relationship] died [yesterday/on the weekend]. I will not be in [today/this week] and will be in touch once I know more." You do not owe anyone more than that in the immediate aftermath.

What to ask for

• Clarification of what your company's bereavement or compassionate leave policy says
• Whether the time off will be paid or unpaid
• Flexibility on when you take it (funerals are not always immediate, and grief is not linear)
• A phased return if you need more time before coming back full-time

If your employer is unhelpful

If your employer refuses reasonable compassionate leave with no pay, or pressures you to return before you are ready, Citizens Advice can advise on your rights. Acas also has a helpline (0300 123 1100) for employment disputes.

If You Are Self-Employed

Self-employed people have no statutory right to bereavement leave or pay — you are, in effect, your own employer. If you take time off, it comes at a direct financial cost.

Practically, the steps are:

• Notify any clients or collaborators as early as possible that you will be unavailable, and for roughly how long
• Check whether any professional indemnity insurance includes a policy for unexpected absence
• Inform HMRC if your business income will be significantly affected, as it may affect your tax bill

If you receive Universal Credit, taking time away from self-employment is generally permitted during a bereavement — speak to your work coach.

If You Are Struggling to Return

Grief does not follow a timetable. If you are not ready to return to work but your compassionate leave has ended, there are options.

Sick leave

Grief and bereavement are legitimate medical conditions. Your GP can issue a fit note (formerly called a sick note) if your mental or physical health means you cannot work. Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) applies from day 4 of absence for eligible employees.

Phased return

Ask your employer about a phased return — reduced hours, working from home, or modified duties for a period. A GP can support this with a fit note that sets out what you can and cannot do.

Support organisations

• Cruse Bereavement Care — free bereavement support; helpline 0808 808 1677
• AtaLoss.org — directory of UK bereavement support services
• Samaritans: 116 123 — free, 24/7