Catherine Fookes, MP for Monmouthshire and Member of the Women and Equalities Committee, is calling on the UK Government to extend parental bereavement leave and pay to include women who experience pregnancy loss before 24 weeks, such as miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, and IVF failures.
Released today, The WEC committee’s latest report Equality at Work: Miscarriage and Bereavement Leave, sets out the recommendations to better support women and families who experience pre-24-week pregnancy losses.
Catherine Fookes said:
“Pregnancy loss can be devastating experiences for women and their families, yet women are currently only given statutory parental bereavement leave and pay if they either had a child under 18 pass away, or a still birth after 24 weeks of pregnancy. Yet the report shows that more than one in five pregnancies end before 24 weeks and the grief experienced by women and their partners is no different to bereavement after 24 weeks. This needs to change.”
The Committee's recommendations include:
Extending statutory parental bereavement leave and pay to include pre-24-week pregnancy losses, such as miscarriage, ectopic pregnancies, and IVF failures.
Addressing the inadequacy of sick leave as the default option, which fails to provide the dignity and support bereaved workers need.
Work with organisations like Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) and the Trades Union Congress to promote the benefits of flexible and generous leave policies for pre-24 week-pregnancy loss.
"As the report shows, the case for statutory bereavement leave is overwhelming. We must ensure that no women and their families are better supported during periods of immense grief and distress. The UK Government now has the opportunity to take a compassionate step forward by supporting our recommendations and include pre-24-week pregnancy losses in bereavement leave legislation."
About Catherine Fookes MP
Catherine Fookes is the Member of Parliament for Monmouthshire. Catherine is dedicated to working tirelessly for Monmouthshire, supporting local residents and standing up for them in Parliament. Her key priorities include strengthening the economy, protecting the environment, and advancing women’s rights and equality.
Comments