‘Two weeks will make such a difference’: UK first as NI brings in miscarriage leave
UK First: Northern Ireland Introduces Two-Week Miscarriage Leave
A New Policy for Emotional Support
Northern Ireland has taken a groundbreaking step by offering two weeks of paid leave to parents following a miscarriage, a measure that has not been implemented elsewhere in the UK. This change aims to provide time for couples to process their grief and support each other during a difficult period. Erin Sharkey, a volunteer with the Miscarriage Association, welcomed the policy as it would “give people the validation for their feelings” and allow them to “take control of their own journey.” She shared how previous societal expectations often pushed her to return to work quickly, even though her partner had not taken any time off.
“During the first few days, people were texting, saying they were thinking of me. But then that stopped. I thought I must have hit the point where people expect me to be OK,” Sharkey reflected. “If she had been there with me for two weeks, that would have reduced my trauma significantly.”
The new leave, paid at the statutory rate of just over £194 weekly or 90% of weekly pay if lower, can be split into two separate periods or taken as a single block within 56 weeks of the loss. Employers no longer require medical evidence—only a simple explanation of the event. Previously, in Northern Ireland, parents were only eligible for two weeks of paid bereavement leave after a stillbirth at 24 weeks or later, provided they had been in their job for 26 weeks. This remains the standard in the rest of the UK.
While the Westminster government plans to expand this in 2027 by introducing unpaid leave for one week following a miscarriage at any stage, the NI policy sets a precedent with its immediate, paid support. Selina Casey, founder of the White Butterfly Foundation, emphasized the emotional impact of the change. After losing her third child in 2021, she described the process as “chaotic” when the time between her son’s birth and funeral was just one week. “Allowing couples time to spend grieving together after a loss is in itself extremely therapeutic,” she added.
“Couples need to hold each other in those early stages of grief,” Casey said. “The leave entitlement in Northern Ireland will ‘save relationships’ by creating space for shared healing.”
Megan Crowe, a therapist at the foundation, shared her own experience of losing a baby at 12 weeks in 2020. “The two weeks of leave will give such an opportunity for people to take control of what they want for their own journey,” she noted. Crowe and her partner relied on sick leave for previous losses but faced uncertainty without structured support. “We were lucky because our employers were so understanding,” she said, “but that’s not always the case.”
Rebecca Hutchinson, whose son Freddie was lost in 2025, described the rapid sequence of events: a 20-week scan showing no complications, followed by early labour a week later. Her baby was delivered at Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool and buried the same day. “Looking back, it just felt chaotic because it all happened so quickly,” Hutchinson recalled. “It took time for the shock to hit me.” She praised the new leave as a “game-changer,” saying it “makes such a difference” for families navigating loss.
The White Butterfly Foundation, based near Portglenone in County Antrim, includes a counselling room and displays ceramic tiles with tributes to lost babies. Each tile symbolizes a personal story, underscoring the importance of collective support during individual tragedies. This initiative highlights how policy changes can address both practical and emotional needs for parents facing miscarriage.