As you are aware I have launched a national campaign to introduce baby loss policies across the country in a bid to support Angela Crawley MP’s Miscarriage leave bill.
A new petition has now been launched calling on the UK Government to support the campaign to introduce paid miscarriage leave before 24 weeks.
Last month, 50 MPs from eight political parties and independents backed a joint letter to then Prime Minister Liz Truss and Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg urging the UK Government to support the campaign.
Members of the public will now have their chance to back the campaign by signing the petition.
In December, Angela Crawley MP’s Private Members’ Bill, the Miscarriage Leave Bill, is due to receive its second reading in the House of Commons.
The bill seeks to introduce three days of statutory paid leave for parents who experience a miscarriage before 24 weeks of pregnancy.
One in four pregnancies end in miscarriage. However, under current legislation, workers are only entitled to paid bereavement leave following a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Some employers have already introduced policies for people who experience a miscarriage at any stage of the pregnancy. However, statutory provision is required as some employers do not have the resources while others may be unwilling to do so.
Other countries such as New Zealand and Australia have written similar provisions into law, and Northern Ireland is set to become the latest country to adopt paid miscarriage leave, introducing it by April 2026.
“There is political support at Westminster to introduce statutory paid miscarriage leave but the UK Government have yet to recognise this,” said Lanark and Hamilton East MP Angela Crawley, adding:
“By launching this petition, we are giving the public the chance to show their support for paid miscarriage leave and to tell the government directly how strongly they feel and how important this issue is.
If the UK Government get behind the Miscarriage Leave Bill, we can take a positive step towards eliminating the stigma associated with miscarriage and pregnancy loss as well as properly supporting parents who experience miscarriage before 24 weeks.”
Your signature may make all the difference – it takes just one minute. To view and sign the petition, visit https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/623254
