Compassionate leave

Serious illness or injury of a loved one   

You can request up to 10 days’ paid compassionate leave to deal with a serious or terminal illness or injury of a loved one. This would include a:

• parent
• wife, husband, civil partner or partner
• child
• grandparent
• grandchild
• in-law
• sibling
• step-relation
• someone who lives as part of the family (but not a tenant, lodger or boarder)
• another person where your relationship is particularly close

Taking dependants serious illness or injury leave 

Tell your manager as soon as possible that you need to take time off as your loved one is seriously ill or injured.

Record your leave in My Oracle under ‘Family leave’. Then choose the 'Dependants serious illness/injury' option.  

Before you request compassionate leave

If someone close to you has died, you may be entitled to: 

• bereavement leave
• parental bereavement leave
• pregnancy loss, stillbirth and neonatal death leave 

If you need time off to deal with an emergency care situation involving a dependant, check if you’re entitled to dependants leave. 

Tell your manager as soon as possible if you need to take time off.

Record your leave in My Oracle under 'family leave'. Then choose the 'dependant's serious illness/injury' option.

Personal or household emergencies 

Ask your manager if you can take unpaid compassionate leave to deal with personal problems or a household emergency, such as a fire or flood. They will consider your request depending on your individual circumstances.

If your manager approves, you should record it as ‘unpaid leave’ in My Oracle.

If you need more time off  

Depending on your situation you can talk to your manager about the possibility of working flexibly or taking annual leave.  

Counselling and emotional support

Whatever your situation and no matter what you’re feeling or going through, we offer a range of support options and can help you find someone you can talk to.