SPM166500 - Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay (Northern Ireland) (SPBP(NI)): Notice and Declaration Time Limits

This page is for use for SPBP for employed earners gainfully employed in Northern Ireland from 6 April 2026.

For SPBP for GB (England, Scotland & Wales) and for Northern Ireland before 6 April 2026 please see SPM165000.

Child Death or Stillbirth

An employee must provide notice for SPBP within 28 days, starting with the first day of the week they want to claim pay for.

The notice must be made in writing for each period that is claimed and must include

  • their name
  • the date of the child’s death or stillbirth
  • the dates of the period they want to claim SPBP

The employee will also need to provide the employer with a declaration, to confirm they meet one of the conditions as to the relationship with the child or baby (link to conditions of entitlement). They only need to provide this once when they first ask for pay so if they take two separate weeks, they only need to provide the declaration for the first week taken within the timeframe detailed above.

An employee can provide notice to her employer orally, there is no requirement for written notice.

There are no intrusive evidence requirements – employees will be able to self-declare the loss