Initial contact after a stillbirth 099-01010020

Offer social worker assistance.

If the customer is not eligible for Parental Leave Pay (PPL) for the child, a claim for Stillborn Baby Payment (SBP) can be assessed. PPL and SBP cannot be paid for the same child. If a customer has a multiple birth and 1 of the children is stillborn, the customer may receive SBP for the stillborn child and PPL for the other child.

If the customer is:

• enquiring about claiming PPL or SBP, go to Step 2
• lodging a claim or documentation for a claim, go to Step 4

Parents can return to work or work on a PPL day with no effect on PPL eligibility. PPL is not paid as a lump sum, so customers are still required to:

• nominate a start date for their PPL period
• tell Services Australia how they want to receive their Flexible PPL days

Note: with the introduction of the ‘Coronavirus Economic Response Package (Payments and Benefits)’ customers cannot receive PPL and JobKeeper Payment at the same time. There are no changes to the PPL rules regarding return to work or working for bereavement/stillborn cases.

SBP is paid as a lump sum. It is non-taxable and is not assessed as income.

Parents are not required to meet birth registration requirements.

PPL is treated as ordinary income for calculating the rate of Income Support Payments (ISP). If the customer and/or their partner receives (or is intending to claim) an ISP, claiming PPL will reduce the rate of their ISP or may even cause it to cancel.

Time limits for claims

• PPL claims must be lodged within 52 weeks of the stillbirth. Note: there are time limits for claiming the maximum PPL
• SBP claims must also normally be lodged within 52 weeks of the stillbirth. This period can be extended:
• up to 13 weeks from the date of rejection of a PPL claim
• if necessary due to severe illness associated with the stillbirth

Does the customer have the Claim for Bereavement Payment (FA008)?

The FA008 is issued to parents by the hospital. It contains a doctor/midwife declaration which is used as confirmation of the stillbirth.

• Yes, customers can claim online and upload a photo of the doctor/midwife declaration from the FA008, or they can claim by lodging the FA008. If FA008 or documentation is lodged, go to Step 4
• No, go to Step 3

If the customer has lost or did not receive the FA008 from the hospital, they should be encouraged to:

• claim online, or
• lodge a Claim for Bereavement Payment (FA008m) which can be printed from the Services Australia website. Note: this form does not contain a doctor/midwife declaration

Services Officers can also issue the FA008m to the customer via:

the Mail Forms workflow

manually printing the FA008m

Confirmation of stillbirth

• For their claim to be finalised, the customer will need to provide suitable confirmation of the delivery of a stillborn child, such as a letter (on hospital letterhead) from the doctor/midwife who attended the birth, or another appropriate hospital representative, or a report from a qualified medical practitioner familiar with the case. The letter must:
• confirm the doctor or midwife's name and qualification, and
• has a signature (this may be the appropriate hospital representative, doctor or midwife), and
• provide the details of the parent and child, and the date and place of birth

Customers with a Centrelink online account can provide documentation using Upload documents.

If a claim or documentation is lodged, go to Step 4.

A FA008, FA080 or documentation for a child bereavement claim must be referred immediately for priority processing to the Families Bereavement and Double Orphan Pension (DOP) Processing Team.

See Receipt of claims, forms and documentation for family assistance.