Introduction of new miscarriage entitlement and day-one rights for Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay in Northern Ireland from Monday 6 April 2026.
The Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland intends to introduce significant changes to Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay. These changes will apply to parents who suffer the loss of a child under the age of 18, including stillbirth from 24 weeks of pregnancy. This will also now extend to miscarriage entitlement, which includes both spontaneous loss and specified medical interventions.
From Monday 6 April 2026, these changes will apply to Northern Ireland employees only.
New eligibility for miscarriage
Employees who experience a miscarriage, or who have a defined connection to a woman who has experienced a miscarriage, will now be entitled to Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay, ensuring support during this difficult time.
Evidence requirements for the miscarriage entitlement
Like the existing arrangements for Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay, there will be no medical evidence requirements placed upon the employee. To qualify for Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay, an employee who has experienced a loss must submit a simple written self-declaration. This should confirm they meet all eligibility requirements, including their name and specifying the date when the miscarriage happened or was discovered to have occurred by the woman who experienced it.
Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay becomes a day-one right
All cases of entitlement will qualify for Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay from the first day of employment, removing previous service and minimum earnings requirements. Employees can rely on either their actual earnings or expected earnings based on reasonable assumptions, ensuring that no employee is left unsupported at a time when compassion and understanding are essential to their welfare.
Important points to be aware of are
- cases where entitlement was gained before 6 April 2026 will continue under the existing rules
- the right for miscarriage entitlement is not retrospective and will not apply to miscarriages which occurred or were discovered before 6 April 2026
All rights and entitlements currently available under Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay will be extended without exception to cases where eligibility arises due to miscarriage discovered on or after 6 April 2026.
Employers that are affected by these changes
While the enhancements apply to Northern Ireland employees only, all employers should be aware of the changes.
Employees in Great Britain are not entitled to these enhancements of Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay and employers should ensure that they do not apply the rights to them.
Some employers operate in both Northern Ireland and Great Britain, often using payroll software and HR policies that apply to both areas due to the existing alignment of employee rights. However, these processes and requirements will need to be updated to reflect changes in Northern Ireland, effective from 6 April 2026.
We will update our guidance on Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay to reflect these changes when they take effect from Monday 6 April 2026.
First published 20 March 2026
