The Danish Parliament has adopted new rules to improve support for parents who lose a child or have a newborn hospitalized for an extended period. The changes will strengthen the right to leave and access to parental benefits.
From 1 July 2025, parents on bereavement leave will be entitled to extended parental benefits. When calculating the right to these benefits, periods where the parent has received compensation for lost earnings will no longer reduce the entitlement.
Employment Minister Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen said: “These parents are going through an incredibly difficult time—both those who have lost a child and those who do not know what lies ahead. My hope is that with the new rules, we can provide a bit more financial stability in a time of great sorrow and worry.”
A separate change, effective 1 January 2026, extends the right to leave and benefits for parents with newborns in hospital. Currently, the leave is limited to three months in total. Under the new rules, each parent will be entitled to up to 12 months of leave and parental benefits in such cases.
The rules will also apply to parents whose infants are sent home for continued treatment. So-called “early home stays” will be treated the same as hospitalizations.
