Britons should be entitled to two weeks' paid bereavement leave following the death of a partner or close relative, campaigners say.

The government is facing calls to introduce statutory bereavement leave for grieving employees amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed the lives of more than 83,000 people in the UK so far.

paid bereveament

A group of MPs, business owners and charities is calling on ministers for "a more compassionate approach" and say annual leave is "not appropriate" in cases of bereavement.

Currently workers are only entitled to paid leave if they lose a child.

While the government claims the change would come at too much of a cost at a time when COVID-19 is already crippling the economy, bereavement charity Sue Ryder says grief among employees already costs £23 billion a year in reduced tax revenues and use of NHS resources.

The charity's chief executive Heidi Travis said: "Bereavement is not a holiday.

"Moreover, it is often the lower paid and those in less secure employment who are unable to take time off to start processing their pain - they may not have the option of flexible working, cannot call in sick and unpaid leave is not a viable alternative.