Bereaved partner's paternity leave

Technically, this new right is not part of the Employment Rights Act and new legislation has been introduced to coincide with the April 2026 Employment Rights Act changes.

Summary

• Bereaved partner's paternity leave (BPPL) is a form of extended paternity leave.
• It's available to eligible employees on or after 6 April 2026 if their child's primary carer (i.e. the child's mother or main adopter) dies during the first year of the birth or adoption.
• How much leave an employee can take depends on when the primary carer dies. The maximum possible entitlement is 52 weeks (e.g. if a mother died during childbirth).
• It is a day-1 employment right, meaning eligible employees are entitled to it from the day they start working for an employer.
• There is no right to be paid while taking BPPL.

For more information, see our articles on Bereaved partner's paternity leave.