Ten Paid Days for Safety

Employees and workers in Northern Ireland who are affected by domestic abuse are set to receive a separate entitlement to 10 days of paid safe leave in each leave year. The Department for the Economy published its final policy decisions on 23 October 2026. The right is intended to start in April 2027, but no exact commencement day has been set and the regulations still require Northern Ireland Assembly processes and scrutiny.

This will not be annual leave or sick leave. It is intended for practical steps needed to secure safety and deal with the effects of abuse. It will be a day-one right and will cover eligible employees and workers, including those who work part-time.

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How much leave will be available?

Every eligible person will receive 10 paid days in each leave year. The entitlement will not be reduced for part-time work: the Department has confirmed the same 10-day entitlement for full-time and part-time staff.

Leave may be taken as full working days or half of a working day. A half-day could be used for an appointment with a solicitor, doctor, bank or support service without using a full day's entitlement.

Pay is intended to match what the person would normally have received for working. The policy includes relevant regular elements such as overtime, commission and bonuses. Detailed calculation rules for variable and irregular working patterns will be set out in the regulations.

What can the leave be used for?

The primary legislation already covers obtaining legal advice and pursuing proceedings, finding alternative accommodation, accessing healthcare including mental healthcare, obtaining welfare support and protecting family members. Following consultation, the regulations will expressly add financial arrangements, including bank accounts, direct debits, mortgages and independent financial advice.

The list will not be exhaustive. Domestic abuse will be defined broadly and will include physical, psychological, sexual, emotional and financial abuse, as well as controlling and coercive behaviour. A single incident can trigger the right; a criminal case or repeated pattern will not be required.

Will evidence be required?

No. An employer will not be entitled to demand proof of abuse, a police record, confirmation of an appointment or details of what happened. The person will only need to notify the employer that the absence is safe leave and provide the information needed to administer the period of absence.

Notification must be given as soon as reasonably practicable. If advance contact is unsafe or impossible, notification after the leave has begun will be allowed. Any further disclosure must be voluntary and cannot become a condition of entitlement or payment.

Can it be taken from annual leave?

No. The 10 days will be a separate statutory entitlement. Employers will not be able to deduct it from annual leave or require the person to use sick leave instead. The regulations will also provide protection from detriment and, for employees, unfair dismissal connected with using the right.

Disputes will use the established Labour Relations Agency early conciliation and Industrial Tribunal routes. Final practical guidance for workers and employers is still being prepared.

What should employers do now?

1. Do not treat April 2027 as a confirmed commencement day. It is the intended month and the regulations still need approval.
2. Prepare a separate policy. Safe leave must not be merged with annual or sickness leave.
3. Restrict access to records. Requests and absence records will need confidential handling. Neutral wording on payslips may be important where an abusive person monitors household finances.
4. Prepare payroll and half-day recording. Systems will need to reflect normal pay, including regular variable components.
5. Train managers. They must not investigate the abuse, demand evidence or press a person for details.

Where will the right apply?

Northern Ireland only. The announcement does not create an equivalent entitlement in England, Scotland or Wales. Employers operating across the UK will need to distinguish between the different employment regimes.

In brief: 10 days a year, normal pay, half-day flexibility, eligibility from the first day of work and no evidence requirement. The statutory right can only be used once the regulations commence; for now, the Department has given April 2027 as the intended month without a precise date.