Petition · past parliament · Ministry of Justice
Change the current outdated law on Bereavement Damages
Closed
214 signatures
What the petition asks
Bring the law in England, Wales & NI into the 21st century to provide fairness for bereaved families as is already the case in Scotland.
Remove reference to 'illegitmate' children & provide equal rights to unmarried parents. Expand the eligibility to a wider group of close relatives e.g. siblings
Remove reference to 'illegitmate' children & provide equal rights to unmarried parents. Expand the eligibility to a wider group of close relatives e.g. siblings
Our experience shows that no amount of money will bring a loved one back but, at such an emotional time, how do you explain to a father of a child that has been killed that he's not entitled to compensation purely because he's not married to the mother of the child?
How do you explain why parents of a child just turned 18, still living at home and dependent on them, are also excluded?
Help us in our campaign to update the law and reflect modern families and their needs.
How do you explain why parents of a child just turned 18, still living at home and dependent on them, are also excluded?
Help us in our campaign to update the law and reflect modern families and their needs.
Timeline
| 2 Jun 2021 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 2 Dec 2021 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
214
Status
Closed
Department
Ministry of Justice
Opened
2 Jun 2021
Closed
2 Dec 2021
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.