[UK] Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay Guidance

Statutory Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay are available to the parents of children who lose a child under the age of 18 from the 6^th of April 2020.  We have been waiting for the promised guidance and forms and late on the 5^th of April 2020 they appeared on gov.uk.  Whilst the Global Payroll Association is a member of the Statutory Payments Consultation Group, note that none of the below was passed by the group for comment:

• Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay and Leave (general guidance)
• Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay online claim form
• Employee circumstances that affect payment of Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay
• How different employment types affect what is paid in Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay
• Manually calculate Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay
• Tables showing relevant weeks and start dates for Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay
• Business changes that affect payment of Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay

Global Payroll Association Comment

This is a new statutory payment and employees and employers will be unfamiliar with it to start with.  Given his fact and the fact that payment and leave are made in very unfortunate circumstances, we would like to point readers to the “How to Claim” section which deals with the required notice periods.  Particular how the 56 “window” for taking leave and pay are split into two periods:

1. From the date of the child’s death or stillbirth to 8 weeks after, and
2. 9 to 56 weeks after the date of the child’s death or stillbirth

The notifications for leave are different in these two periods.

Statutory Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay are available to the parents of children who lose a child under the age of 18 from the 6^th of April 2020.  We have been waiting for the promised guidance and forms and late on the 5^th of April 2020 they appeared on gov.uk.  Whilst the Global Payroll Association is a member of the Statutory Payments Consultation Group, note that none of the below was passed by the group for comment:

• Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay and Leave (general guidance)
• Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay online claim form
• Employee circumstances that affect payment of Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay
• How different employment types affect what is paid in Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay
• Manually calculate Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay
• Tables showing relevant weeks and start dates for Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay
• Business changes that affect payment of Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay

Global Payroll Association Comment

This is a new statutory payment and employees and employers will be unfamiliar with it to start with.  Given his fact and the fact that payment and leave are made in very unfortunate circumstances, we would like to point readers to the “How to Claim” section which deals with the required notice periods.  Particular how the 56 “window” for taking leave and pay are split into two periods:

1. From the date of the child’s death or stillbirth to 8 weeks after, and
2. 9 to 56 weeks after the date of the child’s death or stillbirth

The notifications for leave are different in these two periods.