Paternity leave of 52 weeks for bereaved partners

Implementation date: 6 April 2026

The draft Bereaved Partner's Paternity Leave Regulations 2026 provide an extended period of 52 weeks' statutory paternity leave for employees where the child's mother dies within the first year of the birth. The employee must be the father of the child, or the spouse, civil partner or partner of the mother.

The right is also available to partners in an adoption situation, where the main adopter dies within a year of the placement.

The right to bereaved partner's paternity leave applies where the mother (or adopter) dies on or after 6 April 2026.

The Regulations also provide for employees to take up to eight weeks' bereaved partner's paternity leave in the situation where both the child and the mother (or adopter) die within the first year.

Bereaved partner's paternity leave is unpaid.