This guidance includes (but is not limited to):
Miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, and termination of pregnancy
If you miscarry before the 24th week of pregnancy you are now eligible for up to 10 days of paid leave
You should also be offered paid time-off for appointments linked to pregnancy or baby loss that fall beyond the 10 days of paid leave
Appointments could include medical examinations, scans and tests and mental health related interventions
Other points:
The right to 10 days of paid leave is not dependent upon the gestation of pregnancy or length of service with the organisation
A ‘Fitness for Work’ statement from the GP is not required, unless additional time off from work is needed
This paid time off will not be used for ‘sickness trigger’ purposes
If you feel comfortable please consider contacting someone at your trust, for example your welfare champion.
They may be able to support adjustments to work for example coming off obstetrics and ERPC theatre lists
Partners are eligible for the following:
5 days paid leave
Paid time off to support their partner to attend appointments linked to pregnancy or baby loss
If you or your partner miscarries after the 24th week of pregnancy, this is considered as a still birth
There is new guidance, which was issued to trusts in March 2024.
Please share the following resources with your trust if they have not updated their policy yet.
The News article summarising this can be found here
The full policy framework can be found here: National Pregnancy and Baby Loss People Policy Framework
If your baby is born prematurely, you are entitled to the same amount of maternity leave and pay as if your baby was born at full term
If you were working for at least part of the preceding week, your leave will start on your first day off work
If you didn’t work during the week of childbirth and were on certified sickness absence, maternity pay will start from the day after childbirth.
If your baby is born before the 11th week before the EWC (ie before ~29/40) and remains in hospital you can chose to split your maternity leave
You must take a minimum of 2 weeks maternity leave immediately after childbirth
You can then take the remainder of your maternity leave when your baby is ready to leave hospital
Maternity pay cannot be split so any work done during this period will be added on to the end of the maternity pay as Special Paid Leave.
This is the current guidance, however "Neonatal Care Leave" is being introduced from April 2025
This will allow parents to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave (minimum entitlement of 1 week), on top of other parental leave
Click here for more information
If you or your partner miscarries after the 24th week of pregnancy, this is considered as a still birth
If your baby is born still born after the 24th week of pregnancy, you are entitled to full statutory and occupational maternity leave and pay
If your baby is born alive at any point in pregnancy you are entitled to full statutory and occupational maternity leave and pay
NHS employers Handbook Section: 15.42:
"Should the adoption break down (“Be disrupted”) the employee will be entitled to continue their adoption leave and receive the appropriate payment for that time."
Please check with your local trust policy for further information and guidance.