Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay and Leave

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How to claim

You have 56 weeks to take Parental Bereavement Leave or claim Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay through your employer. This starts from the date of the child’s death.

Parental Bereavement Leave

You can take 2 weeks leave in one block or as 2 separate blocks of one week.

The 56 weeks are split into 2 periods:

  • from the date of the child’s death or stillbirth to 8 weeks after
  • 9 to 56 weeks after the date of the child’s death or stillbirth

You must give your employer notice before you take Parental Bereavement Leave. How much notice depends on when you’re taking the leave.

0 to 8 weeks after the child’s death or stillbirth

You must give your employer notice before you would normally start work on the first day of the week or weeks you want to take off work.

9 to 56 weeks after the child’s death or stillbirth

You must give your employer at least one week’s notice before the start of the week or weeks you want to take off work.

Giving your employer notice

You must tell your employer:

  • the date of the child’s death or stillbirth
  • when you want your parental bereavement leave to begin
  • how much leave you are taking - either 1 or 2 weeks

You can speak to your employer by phone, leave a voicemail, send a text message or an email. You do not need to give them notice in writing (for example through a form or letter).

You do not need to give proof of death or stillbirth.

Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay

You must ask for Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay within 28 days, starting from the first day of the week you’re claiming the payment for.

Each time you claim, you must give your employer the following information in writing (for example a letter, email or form):

  • your name
  • the dates of the period you want to claim Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay
  • the date of the child’s death or stillbirth

You’ll also need to give a ‘declaration’ to your employer to confirm you’re eligible because of your relationship to the child or baby. You only need to complete this once when you first ask for pay.

Completing the declaration

You can:

Once you’ve completed your declaration, you’ll need to send it to your employer. They’ll check your information and your eligibility.

View a printable version of the whole guide

Part of What to do when someone dies: step by step

  1. Step 1 Register the death

    1. Register the death

    Check what to do if:

  2. Step 2 Tell government about the death

    The Tell Us Once service allows you to inform all the relevant government departments when someone dies.

    1. Use the Tell Us Once service to tell government
    2. If you cannot use Tell Us Once, tell government yourself

    You'll also need to tell banks, utility companies, and landlords or housing associations yourself.

  3. Step 3 Arrange the funeral

    1. Arrange the funeral
    2. Get help paying for a funeral
    3. Get help paying for a child's funeral

  4. Step 4 Check if you can get bereavement benefits

    You might be eligible for financial help.

    Check if you can get:

  5. and Deal with your own benefits, pension and taxes

    Your tax, benefit claims and pension might change depending on your relationship with the person who died.

    1. Manage your tax, pensions and benefits if your partner has died
    2. Check how benefits are affected if a child dies

  6. and Find bereavement support and services

    Get help with managing grief and the things you need to do when someone dies.

    1. Find bereavement help and support
    2. Find bereavement services from your local council

  7. and Check if you need to apply to stay in the UK

    If your right to live in the UK depends on your relationship with someone who died you might need to apply for a new visa.

    Check the rules if:

    1. Contact UKVI to check the rules for other visas

  8. Step 5 Value the estate and check if you need to pay Inheritance Tax

    To find out if there’s Inheritance Tax to pay, you need to estimate the value of the property, money and possessions (the ‘estate’) of the person who died.

    1. Estimate the value of the estate to find out if you need to pay Inheritance Tax
    1. Find out how to report the value of the estate
    1. Pay Inheritance Tax if it’s due

  9. Step 6 Apply for probate

    You might need to apply for probate before you can deal with the property, money and possessions (the ‘estate’) of the person who died.

    1. Check if you need to apply for probate
    1. Apply for probate

  10. Step 7 Deal with the estate

    Pay any debts or taxes owed by the person who's died. You can then distribute the estate as set out in the will or the law.

    1. Deal with the estate
    1. Update property records