Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave

Notice period

You must give your employer notice before you take Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave.

How much notice you need to give depends on when you want to take leave.

You do not need to give proof of death.

You must tell your employer before you start work on the first day of leave.

You can do this over the phone, in person or in writing, for example by email or text message.

You need to tell your employer:

the date that the mother, main adopter or main intended parent of your child died
the date you want the leave to start
your child’s date of birth - or if they are adopted, their placement date or the date they first arrived in England, Scotland or Wales

You do not have to tell your employer when you’ll return until the end of the first 8 weeks after the death.

You’ll need to give your employer a week’s notice in writing.

If you want to take more leave after the first 8 weeks after the death, you must:

tell your employer how much leave you want to take
confirm that the leave is to care for your child and that you meet the eligibility criteria

You’ll need to do this by the end of the first 8 weeks after the death in writing, for example by email or text message.

You must tell your employer at least a week before your planned leave.

You’ll need to do this in writing, for example by email or text message.

You need to tell your employer:

the date that the mother, main adopter or main intended parent of your child died
your child’s date of birth - or if they are adopted, their placement date or the date they first arrived in England, Scotland or Wales
the date you want the leave to start
the date you plan to return to work

You’ll also need to confirm that you’re taking the leave to care for your child and that you meet the eligibility criteria.

You can call the ACAS helpline for advice about Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave and your rights.