It is an extension of the Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay Act, passed by the Assembly in 2022, which covered the death of a child under 18, or a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy. It is estimated that more than 9,000 people each year in Northern Ireland are affected by a miscarriage, either experienced by them or their partner. Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald said Northern Ireland would become the only region in the UK or Ireland to provide paid bereavement leave and pay to parents who suffered pregnancy loss through miscarriage. The regulations would also make parental bereavement leave and pay a day-one right for workers, abolishing the qualifying period of 26 weeks of continuous employment. “These new rights allow women who experience miscarriage and their partner to take up to two weeks of paid leave to grieve and to support each other during a very difficult time.

Source: The Herald March 24, 2026 18:31 UTC