Northern Ireland Parental Bereavement Planner

Map the leave window, employer-notice reminder and separate statutory-pay request date under the NI rules from 6 April 2026.

Website updated 30 October 2026

Northern Ireland parental bereavement timeline

Sample plan

A date planner for Northern Ireland events on or after 6 April 2026. It does not decide leave or statutory-pay eligibility, calculate pay or request a claim from your employer.

Early-notice window through

7 September 2026

56-week reference date

9 August 2027

Edit sample dates

Leave notice and statutory-pay request dates

The date span uses seven calendar days per leave week. A statutory week means the same number of days you normally work in a week.

First separate week · 1 week
20 July 2026 – 26 July 2026
Tell the employer before your normal start time on the first day
20 July 2026
Applies to a leave week starting in the first eight weeks after the event.
Written statutory-pay request by
16 August 2026
The 28-day period starts on the first day of the week claimed. Give the required dates and relationship declaration to the employer.
Second separate week · 1 week
11 January 2027 – 17 January 2027
Give at least one week’s notice by
4 January 2027
Applies to a leave week starting from week nine through week 56.
Written statutory-pay request by
7 February 2027
The 28-day period starts on the first day of the week claimed. Give the required dates and relationship declaration to the employer.

Keep the right information private

For miscarriage-related leave, nidirect says you do not have to tell your employer details about the miscarriage or provide medical evidence. This planner only needs the date that the employer or official guidance confirms for your schedule; it never asks for medical details.

For events on or after 6 April 2026, nidirect says statutory pay may be available from the first day of employment, subject to the separate earnings and claim rules. The employer must assess normal earnings fairly where a full pay history is not available. No pay or eligibility decision is made here.

Your Northern Ireland dates

Qualifying eventFor events from 6 April 2026, NI rules include child death, stillbirth after 24 weeks and qualifying miscarriage before 24 weeks.Date of death or stillbirthThe event date anchors the notice window and 56-week reference date.How do you plan to take the two-week allowance?NI allows one continuous block of one or two weeks, or two separate one-week blocks.First leave block startsEnter the first day of the leave week you plan to request.Second separate week startsUse the first day of the second one-week period.

Sample dates only. Dates remain in this page session and are not added to the URL or saved to an account.

A date reminder, not an eligibility decision

For qualifying Northern Ireland events on or after 6 April 2026, Parental Bereavement Leave can cover child death, stillbirth after 24 weeks and qualifying miscarriage before 24 weeks. The pay route has separate conditions: nidirect says it can be available from the first day of employment, with an earnings assessment and written request through the employer. This planner does not decide either entitlement or calculate pay.

The leave notice is separate from the written pay request. Use the result for a planning conversation, then confirm the applicable event date and each deadline with your employer. For eligibility, event definitions, privacy, cancellation and claim details, read the UK Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay guide. Its Great Britain planner is different; do not use it for an NI job.

Dates stay in this page session. They are not written to the URL or saved to an account, and the miscarriage option does not ask you to disclose medical information.

Northern Ireland parental bereavement planner FAQs

Which parts of the UK does this planner cover?

It is for people whose job is governed by Northern Ireland employment law. It does not apply the Great Britain scheme or its qualifying rules.

Which events can I plan?

For qualifying NI events on or after 6 April 2026, the route includes a child death, a stillbirth after 24 weeks, and a qualifying miscarriage before 24 weeks. The employer or nidirect must confirm the event meets the conditions.

What date should I enter for a miscarriage?

Enter the date that nidirect or your employer confirms applies to your schedule: the date the miscarriage occurred or the date it was discovered. The tool does not decide the legal date.

Does the miscarriage option ask for a diagnosis or medical evidence?

No. The planner only needs the qualifying date used for the schedule. Nidirect says employees do not have to give their employer details of the miscarriage or medical evidence for this right.

How much leave can I plan?

The standard allowance is up to two weeks for each qualifying child or pregnancy loss. You can plan one continuous block of one or two weeks, or two separate one-week blocks.

How long do I have to take the leave?

Nidirect says the leave must finish within 56 weeks of the qualifying event date. The planner shows a reference date and warns if a planned block finishes after it.

When should I tell my employer?

For a leave week starting in the first eight weeks after the event, tell the employer before your normal start time on the first day. For a leave week starting in weeks 9 to 56, nidirect says to give at least one week’s notice.

What details should I include in leave notice?

Nidirect says to give the event date, when leave should start and how much leave you are taking. Notice can be by phone, voicemail, text or email; the employer may have a practical contact process.

When should I ask for Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay?

If eligible, ask the employer in writing within 28 days, starting from the first day of the week you claim. The planner shows the 28th-day deadline separately for each planned block.

Do I need 26 weeks of service for NI pay after 6 April 2026?

Nidirect says statutory pay for qualifying events from 6 April 2026 can be available from the first day of employment. Earnings and claim conditions still apply, and the employer assesses normal earnings fairly if a full pay history is unavailable.

Does the planner calculate my statutory pay?

No. It maps dates only. The employer checks whether the event, relationship, employment and earnings conditions are met and calculates any payment through payroll.

Is the pre-6 April 2026 scheme the same?

No. This planner is written for the rules applying to qualifying events from 6 April 2026. Check the earlier date-specific nidirect rules for a child death or stillbirth before that date.

Does bereavement leave replace Bereavement Support Payment?

No. Parental Bereavement Leave and employer-paid statutory pay follow a child death or qualifying pregnancy loss. Bereavement Support Payment is a separate social-security benefit for some people whose partner has died.

Are my dates saved or shared?

No. The dates remain in the current page session; they are not put in the URL or saved to an account. Reset sample restores the illustrative dates.

Official Northern Ireland sources

Confirm the event date, employment rights and pay request with current nidirect guidance and your employer.

nidirect: Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay for bereavements on or after 6 April 2026
Qualifying child death, stillbirth and miscarriage events; leave window, notice, pay and claim steps.
nidirect: Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay for bereavements before 6 April 2026
Earlier rules for child death and stillbirth cases before the NI extension.

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Leave notice and statutory-pay request dates

The date span uses seven calendar days per leave week. A statutory week means the same number of days you normally work in a week.

First separate week · 1 week

20 July 2026 – 26 July 2026

Tell the employer before your normal start time on the first day

20 July 2026

Applies to a leave week starting in the first eight weeks after the event.

Written statutory-pay request by

16 August 2026

The 28-day period starts on the first day of the week claimed. Give the required dates and relationship declaration to the employer.

Second separate week · 1 week

11 January 2027 – 17 January 2027

Give at least one week’s notice by

4 January 2027

Applies to a leave week starting from week nine through week 56.

Written statutory-pay request by

7 February 2027

The 28-day period starts on the first day of the week claimed. Give the required dates and relationship declaration to the employer.

Keep the right information private

Your Northern Ireland dates

Qualifying eventFor events from 6 April 2026, NI rules include child death, stillbirth after 24 weeks and qualifying miscarriage before 24 weeks.

Date of death or stillbirthThe event date anchors the notice window and 56-week reference date.

How do you plan to take the two-week allowance?NI allows one continuous block of one or two weeks, or two separate one-week blocks.

First leave block startsEnter the first day of the leave week you plan to request.

Second separate week startsUse the first day of the second one-week period.

Sample dates only. Dates remain in this page session and are not added to the URL or saved to an account.

A date reminder, not an eligibility decision

Dates stay in this page session. They are not written to the URL or saved to an account, and the miscarriage option does not ask you to disclose medical information.