Northern Ireland plans 10 days of paid domestic abuse leave from April 2027

Northern Ireland has set out plans for paid time off to help people deal with domestic abuse. The intended start is April 2027, but the regulations still need to go through the Assembly process. This is not a new leave entitlement that workers can use today.

Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald announced the policy decisions on 23 October 2026. For people starting work in Northern Ireland, the important points are who would qualify, how pay would work and how privacy would be protected.

What is planned?

The Department for the Economy’s announcement says eligible employees and workers would receive 10 paid days in each leave year, including those working part-time. The right would apply from the first day of employment.

Leave would be paid at the person’s normal rate and could be taken in half-days. It would be separate from annual holiday, although the leave-year arrangements would be aligned where appropriate.

The planned definition would cover single incidents and patterns of domestic abuse. Notification would be limited: people would not have to explain the specific purpose of the leave or give details of the abuse.

These are Northern Ireland plans, not a new UK-wide entitlement or a change to leave rules in the Republic of Ireland.

Why the distinction between an Act and a working entitlement matters

UTV’s reporting on the announcement notes that the underlying Domestic Abuse (Safe Leave) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 received Royal Assent in May 2022. However, passing the Act and bringing the practical leave system into operation are different steps.

The department’s consultation response says the implementing regulations are being finalised. Guidance is being prepared alongside them. The minister’s announcement gives April 2027 as the intended start, subject to the necessary Assembly processes and scrutiny.

The response explains why this time off can matter. Arranging legal advice, healthcare, financial support or somewhere safer to live may require appointments during working hours. Safe Leave is intended to provide time to address those practical consequences without losing normal pay.

It also says guidance will cover notification, payment, secure records, interaction with other leave and protection against unfair treatment. Employers should use that final guidance when preparing their procedures rather than treating an announcement as the complete rules.

Where to find help now

Nobody needs to wait for a new leave system to seek support. NI Direct’s domestic abuse information explains that abuse is not only physical. It can include controlling behaviour, financial abuse, threats and emotional or online abuse. It can affect people of any background.

The Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline information page gives current contact options. The service is available around the clock, and people whose first language is not English can ask for an interpreter. Friends and relatives concerned about someone can also seek advice.

For a question about work, NI Direct signposts the Labour Relations Agency and Advice NI for free, confidential and impartial employment-rights advice in Northern Ireland. A trade union can also help its members.

If you need time off before the new entitlement begins, ask for advice about your current rights and any support available under your employer’s policies. Do not assume that the planned 10 days are already available by law.

Illustrative photo: Parliament Buildings at Stormont, October 2015, a contextual image not taken at the October 2026 announcement. Photo by Gareth James, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped to 2:1; the cropped version is released under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Information checked on 23 October 2026. This article is general information, not advice about an individual employment or immigration case.