---
title: "A New Era for Family-Friendly Rights: What Employers Need to Know"
description: Discover the latest UK employment law changes supporting working parents, including new leave entitlements and expanded protections starting April 2025. Learn what employers need to know.
---

[News ](https://www.hrconnect.org.uk/news)

# [A New Era for Family-Friendly Rights: What Employers Need to Know](https://www.hrconnect.org.uk/news/new-era-for-family-friendly-rights)

 Written by [HR Connect](https://www.hrconnect.org.uk/news/author/hr-connect) | May 12, 2025 8:46:30 AM

**A New Era for Family-Friendly Rights: What Employers Need to Know**

The UK is entering a transformative phase in employment law, with a strong focus on supporting working parents and carers. From **Neonatal Care Leave and Pay** to proposed reforms under the **Employment Rights Bill**, these changes reflect a growing recognition of the realities of modern family life—and they bring both opportunities and responsibilities for employers.

 

**Neonatal Care Leave & Pay: A Landmark Change**

Starting **6 April 2025**, eligible employees will be entitled to **up to 12 weeks of additional leave** if their baby requires neonatal care. This is a **day-one right** for leave, though pay eligibility requires 26 weeks of service.

Key points:

- Applies to each parent individually—not shared like Shared Parental Leave.
- Leave is triggered if the baby receives neonatal care within 28 days of birth for at least 7 continuous days.
- Leave can be taken in blocks (Tier 1) or as a continuous period (Tier 2), depending on timing.
- Pay is aligned with other statutory family pay: £187.18/week or 90% of earnings.

This change is expected to benefit around **60,000 parents annually**, offering vital support during one of the most stressful times in a family’s life.

 

**Bereavement Leave: A Broader, More Inclusive Approach**

Currently limited to parents who lose a child under 18, bereavement leave is set to expand:

- **Unpaid leave** will be extended to employees who lose a ‘loved one’ (e.g., spouse, parent, sibling).
- **Day-one right** for all eligible employees.
- **Paid leave** remains only for parents who lose a child.

The government has also accepted the principle of **bereavement leave for pre-24-week pregnancy loss**, covering miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, and medical termination—though this is not yet in the draft Bill.

 

**Paternity & Parental Leave: More Accessible**

- **Paternity leave** becomes a **day-one right**, with added flexibility to take it even after Shared Parental Leave.
- **Unpaid parental leave** (up to 18 weeks per child) will also be available from day one of employment.
- A full review of parental leave is expected in the near future.

 

**Stronger Protections for Parents**

The Employment Rights Bill proposes:

- Extending redundancy protections to include **dismissals for reasons beyond redundancy**.

- Covering employees returning from **maternity, adoption, shared parental, and neonatal care leave** for up to **six months** post-return.
- Adding employees on **neonatal care leave over six weeks** to the priority group in redundancy situations.

 

**What Employers Should Do Now**

To prepare for these changes, employers should:

- **Update policies and contracts** to reflect new entitlements.
- **Train HR teams and managers** on the complexities of neonatal care leave and other updates.
- **Plan for operational impact**, including potential increases in leave requests and budget impacts.
- **Respect employee privacy**—especially around medical details and bereavement.
- **Support wellbeing**—recognize the emotional toll of neonatal care and bereavement.

These reforms mark a cultural shift toward more empathetic and flexible workplaces. While they may introduce complexity, they also offer a chance to build trust, loyalty, and resilience within your teams.

[View full post](https://www.hrconnect.org.uk/news/new-era-for-family-friendly-rights)

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