Family-friendly rights and support
Updated to reflect that extended rights to parental bereavement leave and pay are due to take effect in Northern Ireland on 6 April 2026.
Updated to reflect the removal of the qualifying period for statutory paternity leave from 6 April 2026, and transitional notice requirements.
Updated to reflect that Bereaved partner's paternity leave will come into effect from 6 April 2026.
Updated to reflect that enhanced redundancy protections will apply for employees taking, or returning, from bereaved partner's paternity leave.
Updated to include the weekly rate of statutory maternity pay effective from 6 April 2026.
The 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.
Millions of workers previously denied time off for the birth of their child will become eligible for day one rights to parental leave from April, as ministers lay new regulations stemming from the Employment Rights Act 2025 before Parliament today (12 January).
Updated to promote our upcoming webinar which will provide a guide to the Employment Rights Act 2025, also to outline future resource updates that will happen as a result of the Act.
Updated to reflect the introduction of a day-one right to paternity leave for bereaved partners, effective from 29 December 2025.
Updated to reflect the right of bereaved partners to take paternity leave after shared parental leave, effective from 29 December 2025.
HR and legal information and guidance relating to family-friendly rights and support.