How many days bereavement leave am I legally entitled to in the UK?

There is no single universal statutory entitlement to bereavement leave in the UK. If a dependant has died, you are entitled to a 'reasonable' amount of unpaid time off to make arrangements under the Employment Rights Act 1996. If you are a parent whose child under 18 has died (or who experienced a stillbirth after 24 weeks), Jack's Law entitles you to two weeks' leave. Beyond these situations, your entitlement depends on what your employment contract says. Most employers offer 3–5 days' paid leave for the death of an immediate family member, but this is contractual rather than a legal minimum.

Am I entitled to paid bereavement leave when a parent dies?

There is no statutory right to paid bereavement leave when a parent dies — unless they were a dependant in the legal sense, in which case you are entitled to unpaid time off to make arrangements. However, most employers do include the death of a parent in their contractual bereavement policies, typically offering 3–5 days' paid leave. Check your employment contract or staff handbook, or speak to your HR department. If your employer has no policy, you can request compassionate leave, and many managers will respond with understanding.

What is Jack's Law and who does it apply to?

Jack's Law is the informal name for the Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Act 2018, which came into force in April 2020. It gives all employed parents the right to two weeks' leave following the death of a child under the age of 18, or a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy. The leave can be taken as one two-week block or two separate one-week blocks, within 56 weeks of the death. Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay is available if you have been employed for at least 26 weeks and earn above the Lower Earnings Limit — currently £187.18 per week (or 90% of average weekly earnings if lower) in 2026. All employed parents are entitled to the leave itself, even if they do not qualify for pay.

What should I do if my employer won't give me time off for bereavement?

If a dependant has died and your employer refuses to allow you reasonable time off to make arrangements, this may be unlawful under the Employment Rights Act 1996. Being dismissed or penalised for taking this leave is considered automatic unfair dismissal, regardless of how long you have worked for the employer. You can raise a formal grievance with your employer, contact ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) on their free helpline, or seek advice from Citizens Advice. If your employer has a bereavement policy in your contract, failure to honour it may also be a breach of contract.

Can I take annual leave to extend my bereavement leave?

Yes, in most cases you can use your annual leave entitlement to extend the time you take off after a bereavement. While your employer cannot force you to take annual leave, most will be happy to accommodate this request if you ask. It is worth having an open conversation with your line manager or HR department about what arrangements would work best. Some employers may also allow unpaid leave in addition to, or instead of, annual leave if you need longer than your bereavement policy provides.

Does bereavement leave apply to self-employed people in the UK?

Unfortunately, self-employed people, freelancers, and contractors have no statutory entitlement to bereavement leave or pay in the UK. There is no employer to request time off from, and employment law rights in this area only apply to employees and workers. However, if you are a parent and your child has died, it may be worth speaking to HMRC about any available bereavement support payments. You should also check any income protection or business insurance policies you hold, as some may include provisions for bereavement-related absence. Taking a few days away from work is rarely as professionally damaging as it feels in the moment — most clients respond with compassion when informed of a bereavement.

Is bereavement leave paid or unpaid in the UK?

It depends. The statutory right to time off for dependants under the Employment Rights Act 1996 is unpaid unless your employer's contract says otherwise. Jack's Law provides up to two weeks of paid Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay (£187.18 per week in 2026, or 90% of average weekly earnings if lower) for parents who lose a child under 18, subject to qualifying criteria. Beyond these rights, whether your bereavement leave is paid depends entirely on your employer's own compassionate leave policy. Many UK employers do pay employees for at least some bereavement days — always check your contract or staff handbook.

How many days bereavement leave am I entitled to if a parent dies?

There is no specific statutory entitlement to bereavement leave when a parent dies. You are entitled to a 'reasonable' amount of unpaid time off to make arrangements under the Employment Rights Act 1996 — but this is not defined as a set number of days. In practice, most UK employers offer between three and five days of paid compassionate leave for the death of a parent, though this varies. Check your employer's bereavement or compassionate leave policy, and speak to your HR department or line manager as early as you can.

Can my employer refuse to give me time off after a bereavement?

If Jack's Law applies — because you have lost a child under 18 — your employer cannot legally refuse the two weeks' leave. If you are taking reasonable time off to make arrangements following the death of a dependant, your employer cannot dismiss you or treat you unfairly for doing so. Outside these statutory rights, your employer does have discretion, but refusing all support goes against ACAS guidance on good practice. If your employer refuses and you believe your statutory rights have been breached, contact ACAS on 0300 123 1100 or consider raising a formal grievance.

Do I have to tell my employer why I need time off for bereavement?

You should let your employer know as soon as reasonably possible that you need time off and broadly why. You are not legally required to share detailed personal information, but explaining that a bereavement has occurred helps your employer apply the correct policy and respond with appropriate support. When invoking the right to time off for dependants, you should ideally tell your employer before you leave, or as soon as is practicable. For Jack's Law leave, there are specific notification rules — you must tell your employer the date of death, the date you want leave to start, and whether you are taking one or two weeks.

What support is available if I am struggling to cope after returning to work?

Several options are available. Firstly, speak to your GP — prolonged grief or depression may qualify you for a fit note supporting further absence. Many employers offer an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) with free, confidential counselling sessions. Cruse Bereavement Support provides free specialist grief counselling (0808 808 1677). The Samaritans are available 24 hours a day on 116 123. If your grief is significantly affecting your ability to work long-term, you may also have protections under the Equality Act 2010. Speak to your HR team about phased returns or temporary adjustments — most compassionate employers will want to help.

Is there any bereavement pay available if I am self-employed?

Unfortunately, there is currently no equivalent of Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay for self-employed people — even under Jack's Law. If you are self-employed and lose a child, you have no entitlement to statutory bereavement pay, which many campaigners consider a significant gap in the law. Practically, you may be able to pause client work by mutual agreement, check your contracts for emergency clauses, or explore whether a temporary Universal Credit claim could help if your income drops. Cruse Bereavement Support and other charities can offer emotional support regardless of employment status.

Bereavement Leave UK: Your Rights and What to Expect

Losing someone is devastating. Understanding your bereavement leave rights helps you focus on what matters most. This guide explains UK law, what employers typically offer, and how to navigate time off work after a bereavement.

When someone you love dies, the last thing you should be worrying about is your job. Yet for many people in the UK, the days immediately following a bereavement bring a flood of practical anxieties — including how much time they can take off work, whether they'll be paid, and how to even begin that conversation with a manager.

The honest truth is that UK law offers less protection in this area than many people expect. But understanding exactly what you are and aren't entitled to — and knowing how most compassionate employers respond in practice — can give you the clarity you need at one of the hardest moments of your life.

This guide explains everything you need to know about bereavement leave in the UK in 2026: the legal rights that exist, what good employers typically offer, how to request time off, and how to manage your return to work when the time comes.

What Does UK Law Actually Say About Bereavement Leave?

It may come as a surprise to learn that there is no single, universal statutory right to bereavement leave in the UK. The law is fragmented, and your entitlement depends heavily on who has died and your own relationship to them.

The Right to Time Off for Dependants

Under the Employment Rights Act 1996, all employees have a legal right to take a reasonable amount of unpaid time off work to deal with an emergency involving a dependant. This includes making arrangements following the death of a dependant.

A dependant is broadly defined as:

A spouse, civil partner, or partner
A child (including an adopted child)
A parent
Someone who lives in your household (other than as a tenant, lodger, or employee)
Someone who reasonably relies on you for assistance when they are ill or injured

Critically, this right covers making arrangements — such as registering the death, contacting a funeral director /find-a-funeral-director/, or organising care for other dependants — rather than providing an extended period of compassionate leave. The law does not specify how many days are reasonable; it simply says you cannot be dismissed or subjected to a detriment for taking this time.

Importantly, this time off is unpaid unless your employer's contract or policy says otherwise.

Jack's Law: Parental Bereavement Leave

The most significant piece of dedicated bereavement legislation in the UK is the Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Act 2018, commonly known as Jack's Law, which came into force in April 2020.

Jack's Law gives employed parents the right to:

Two weeks' leave following the death of a child under the age of 18, or a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy
Leave that can be taken as a single block of two weeks, or as two separate one-week blocks
Up to 56 weeks from the date of death to take this leave

To receive Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay, you must have been employed for at least 26 weeks at the time of the child's death and earn at least the Lower Earnings Limit (£125 per week in 2026). The statutory pay rate mirrors Statutory Paternity Pay — currently £187.18 per week (or 90% of your average weekly earnings if that is lower) as of April 2026 — confirm the latest rate at GOV.UK as this figure is reviewed each April.

If you do not meet the earnings or service requirements, you are still entitled to the two weeks' leave — it will simply be unpaid.

Jack's Law was named in memory of Jack Herd, whose mother Lucy campaigned tirelessly following his death at the age of two. It was a landmark moment in recognising that the loss of a child deserves formal, statutory protection at work.

Bereavement Leave for Parents, Siblings, Grandparents and Friends: What Are Your Rights?

Here is where many people feel let down by the law. If the person who has died is not a dependant as legally defined — a parent, sibling, grandparent, friend, or colleague — there is currently no statutory entitlement to bereavement leave.

You may still be able to use the time off for dependants provisions if you were a primary carer for the deceased, or if their death triggers an emergency involving one of your dependants. But for the grief itself, the law offers no formal protection beyond what your employer chooses to provide.

This remains a significant gap, and campaigners continue to push for broader statutory bereavement leave in the UK. As of 2026, no legislation has yet extended those rights further, though the conversation is ongoing.

What Do Most Employers Offer in Practice?

While the law sets a low floor, most UK employers — particularly larger organisations — offer considerably more generous contractual bereavement leave through their employment contracts or HR policies.

Typical employer policies in 2026 tend to offer:

3–5 days' paid leave for the death of an immediate family member (spouse, child, parent)
1–3 days' paid leave for the death of a more distant relative (grandparent, sibling, in-law)
Some provision — often unpaid or at a manager's discretion — for close friends or non-family members

Many progressive employers now go further, offering open-ended compassionate leave policies, access to Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) with bereavement counselling, or flexible return-to-work arrangements.

The key thing to understand is that your contract of employment or your employer's staff handbook is the place to look first. If a bereavement policy exists, it is legally binding. If it does not, you are reliant on your employer's goodwill — though that goodwill is more common than you might fear.

How to Tell Your Employer About a Bereavement

There is no perfect way to have this conversation, and your employer should understand that. But here are some practical steps to make it a little easier:

Notify someone as soon as you reasonably can. You don't need to call in the moment you receive the news, but a brief message — even a text or email — to your line manager or HR department within the first 24 hours is helpful. Simply say that a bereavement has occurred and that you'll be in touch when you're able.
Check your contract or staff handbook first. Before you speak in detail, it helps to know what your employer is formally committed to offering. This means you can have an informed conversation rather than negotiating from scratch.
Be honest about what you need. If you think you'll need longer than your company's standard policy allows, say so. Many managers have some discretion to extend paid or unpaid leave. You may also be able to use annual leave to extend your time away.
Ask about phased return options. Rather than going straight back to full-time hours, many employers will accommodate a gradual return — for instance, starting with three days a week before building back up.
Get any agreements in writing. If your manager verbally agrees to an extended period of leave or a phased return, follow it up with a brief email confirming what was discussed. This protects both parties.

What If Your Employer Is Unsympathetic?

Most people find their employers more understanding than they feared. But if you feel you're being treated unfairly, there are options.

If you have been dismissed or disciplined for taking time off to deal with a dependant's death, this may constitute automatic unfair dismissal under the Employment Rights Act 1996, regardless of your length of service. You can raise a grievance internally or make a claim to an Employment Tribunal.

If you're struggling with the process, organisations like ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) offer free helplines and guidance. Citizens Advice can also help you understand your rights and what options are open to you.

Bereavement Leave If You're Self-Employed

If you are self-employed, a freelancer, or a contractor, you have no statutory entitlement to bereavement leave or pay. There is no employer to request time off from, and there is no equivalent of Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay available to you through your work status alone.

However, there are some things worth knowing:

If you are a parent and meet the conditions for Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay but are self-employed, you may still be able to claim a lump-sum payment through HMRC under the bereavement support provisions — speak to an accountant or HMRC directly.
If you have income protection insurance or a relevant business insurance policy, check whether it includes provision for bereavement-related absence.
Be kind to yourself. Taking a few days away from client work is rarely as catastrophic as it feels in the moment. Most clients, when informed of a bereavement, will show understanding.

Returning to Work After Bereavement

Going back to work can feel impossible, or it can feel like a relief — grief is deeply individual. There is no right timeline.

Some things that can make a return to work easier:

A return-to-work meeting with your line manager before you come back, even a brief phone call, can help you feel prepared and supported.
Letting colleagues know what you'd find helpful — whether that's space and privacy, or warmth and acknowledgement — can prevent the awkwardness that often surrounds grief in the workplace.
Using your Employee Assistance Programme if your employer offers one. Many EAPs include free, confidential counselling sessions that can be accessed before, during, and after your leave.
Not expecting yourself to be fully functional immediately. Concentration, memory, and energy are often affected by grief for weeks or even months. Speak to your GP if you feel you need additional support or a fit note to extend your absence.

Grief doesn't follow a timetable, and a good employer will understand this. If you're struggling after your formal leave has ended, it's worth speaking to your GP, who can issue a fit note citing bereavement or a related mental health condition if appropriate.

Planning a Funeral Alongside Work Commitments

One of the most time-consuming aspects of bereavement is arranging the funeral itself — registering the death, meeting with a funeral director, notifying banks and institutions, and making decisions about the service. All of this typically happens within the first week or two after a death.

A compassionate, experienced funeral director can take an enormous amount of this weight off your shoulders. NAFD-accredited funeral directors are trained to guide families through every step of the process at a pace that works for them. Because NAFD members abide by a strict Code of Practice, you can trust that you'll receive honest, transparent guidance — including clear information about costs — without any pressure.

Having a funeral director who handles the administrative and logistical details means you can spend your limited time away from work focusing on what truly matters: being with family and processing your loss.

If cost is a concern alongside everything else, our funeral cost calculator can give you a realistic sense of what to expect, helping you plan without financial surprises.

A Summary of Your Key Rights

Time off for dependants: A reasonable amount of unpaid leave to deal with arrangements following the death of a dependant — no fixed number of days specified in law.
Jack's Law: Two weeks' leave (paid if you meet eligibility criteria) for parents following the death of a child under 18 or a stillbirth after 24 weeks.
No general statutory right to bereavement leave for the death of a parent, sibling, grandparent, or friend — this is governed by your employment contract.
Check your contract — most employers offer 3–5 days for close family, and many offer more.
Self-employed workers have no automatic entitlement, but should check insurance policies and speak to HMRC about any available support.

Find an NAFD Funeral Director Near You

If you're dealing with a bereavement right now, please know that you don't have to navigate the practicalities alone. NAFD-accredited funeral directors are available across the UK — in every town and city — and are ready to support you at whatever pace you need.

Every NAFD member upholds a robust Code of Practice and is monitored independently, so you can have complete confidence in the care and transparency you'll receive. Whether you need urgent guidance or simply want to understand your options, find your nearest NAFD funeral director here.

What Is Compassionate Leave — and Is It the Same as Bereavement Leave?

Many people use the terms bereavement leave and compassionate leave interchangeably, but there is a meaningful difference worth understanding.

Bereavement leave specifically refers to time off following a death. Compassionate leave is a broader term that some employers use to cover time off for any serious personal crisis — including caring for a critically ill relative, even if they have not yet died.

Neither term appears in UK statute as a general right. What the law provides is the narrower right to time off for dependants under the Employment Rights Act 1996, and the specific parental bereavement right under Jack's Law. Everything else is down to your employer's policy.

In practice, most UK employers refer to their internal policy as either a compassionate leave policy or a bereavement leave policy. When checking your contract or staff handbook, search for both terms. The ACAS guidance on bereavement strongly encourages employers to treat bereaved staff with flexibility and understanding, even where no contractual right exists.

How Many Days Bereavement Leave Are You Entitled To in the UK?

This is one of the most searched questions about bereavement leave — and the answer depends entirely on who has died and what your employer offers.

Who has died	Statutory minimum	Typical employer offer (2026)
A child under 18 / stillbirth after 24 weeks	2 weeks (Jack's Law)	2 weeks, often fully paid
A spouse, partner, or civil partner	Reasonable time to make arrangements (unpaid)	3–5 days, often paid
A parent or parent-in-law	Reasonable time to make arrangements (unpaid)	3–5 days, often paid
A sibling	No automatic right	1–3 days at employer discretion
A grandparent	No automatic right	1–3 days at employer discretion
A close friend or colleague	No automatic right	Varies widely; often unpaid leave or annual leave

These are typical figures based on CIPD workforce data and ACAS guidance. There is no legal obligation for employers to match them for deaths outside of Jack's Law — but many good employers do, and it is always worth asking.

What Can You Do If Your Employer Refuses Bereavement Leave?

If your employer refuses to give you time off after a bereavement, the steps you take depend on what you are entitled to.

If Jack's Law applies

If you have lost a child under 18 or suffered a stillbirth after 24 weeks, your employer cannot lawfully refuse the two weeks' leave. Doing so is a breach of the Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Act 2018. You can raise a formal grievance, and if unresolved, bring a claim to an Employment Tribunal.

If you are claiming time off for dependants

Your employer cannot dismiss you or subject you to a detriment for taking reasonable time off under the Employment Rights Act 1996 to make arrangements following a dependant's death. If they do, this is automatically unfair dismissal or unlawful detriment — you can bring a tribunal claim regardless of your length of service.

If no statutory right applies

If the bereavement falls outside the above categories, your employer has no legal obligation to grant paid leave. However, you can:

Request to use annual leave or unpaid leave
Ask about flexible working arrangements temporarily
Speak to your HR department or trade union representative
Contact ACAS on 0300 123 1100 for free, confidential advice

A compassionate employer will nearly always find a way to help. If yours does not, that tells you something important about your workplace.

Bereavement Leave If You Are Self-Employed or a Contractor

If you are self-employed, a freelancer, or a contractor, bereavement leave works very differently — because there is no employer to grant you time off.

You are, in effect, your own boss, which means you can choose to step back from work. But there is no statutory pay to fall back on in most cases, and the financial pressure to keep working can be acute.

Self-employed and Jack's Law

Unfortunately, Jack's Law does not apply to the self-employed. Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay is only available to employees who meet the qualifying criteria. If you are self-employed and lose a child, you have no entitlement to this payment — a gap many campaigners have highlighted as deeply unfair.

Practical steps for self-employed bereaved people

Check your contracts: some client contracts include force majeure or personal emergency clauses that may allow you to pause work without penalty.
Communicate early: most clients will respond with compassion if you are honest about your situation as early as possible.
Check your income protection insurance: some policies include bereavement provisions.
Universal Credit: if your income drops significantly, you may be able to make a temporary Universal Credit claim. Visit GOV.UK for eligibility details.
Grief support: organisations such as Cruse Bereavement Support (0808 808 1677) offer free counselling regardless of employment status.

Returning to Work After Bereavement: What to Expect

Coming back to work after a bereavement is often harder than people anticipate. The practical demands of work can feel overwhelming when grief is still raw, and many people find the first few weeks back particularly difficult.

What good employers should offer

ACAS guidance encourages employers to have an informal return-to-work conversation before your first day back — not to check up on you, but to agree any adjustments that might help. These might include:

A phased return to work (reduced hours initially)
Flexibility around the date of the funeral if it falls after your leave period
A temporary reduction in workload or deadlines
Access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), which typically includes free counselling sessions

Know your ongoing rights

Grief does not follow a timetable. If you find your mental health is significantly affected, speak to your GP — you may be eligible for a fit note, which can support a further period of absence. Mental health conditions, including prolonged grief disorder, may also be covered under the Equality Act 2010 if they have a substantial and long-term effect on your day-to-day life.

You do not have to manage this alone. The charity Cruse Bereavement Support offers free, confidential support, as does the Samaritans (116 123, available 24 hours a day).