Completing the Claim for Bereavement Payment (FA008) 007-07020010

The Claim for Bereavement Payment (FA008) is issued to customers by the hospital or midwife after a stillbirth or neo-natal death.

There is also a version of the Claim for Bereavement Payment (FA008m) which customers can download from the Services Australia website or by contacting Services Australia after a child bereavement event.

Customers can complete and submit an online claim by accessing their Centrelink online account through myGov.

In most cases of stillbirth, the hospital or midwife will give the customer the FA008 which will contain confirmation the child was stillborn. If the customer has lost or did not receive the FA008 from the hospital:

• encourage them to claim online, or
• issue a Claim and Notes for Bereavement Payment (FA008M) noting that the FA008M does not include the proof of birth declaration. Customers will have to provide alternative proof of birth. The Resources page contains a link to the form

• A bereavement payment of FTB is available if the customer was eligible for FTB for the child at the time of their death. This payment can include Newborn Supplement (NBS) and Newborn Upfront Payment (NBU) where the customer is not eligible for PPL
• FTB is not payable for a stillborn child. See Eligibility for Stillborn Baby Payment (SBP) for more information
• PPL may be payable for a stillborn child or for a child who has died since birth
• SBP may be payable for a stillborn child if the customer is not eligible for PPL for the child

The bereavement payment of FTB is equivalent to 14 weeks of FTB from the date of the child's death. It can be paid as:

• A fortnightly instalment over 14 weeks, or
• a lump sum

For each stillborn child delivered there is a single rate of SBP.

If a second or subsequent child dies before their first birthday, they are entitled to receive the higher rate of NBS. A top-up amount, equivalent to the difference between the higher and lower rate of NBS, will be paid if the lower rate of NBS was paid before the child died.

If a customer is eligible for NBS, it will be paid in line with how they choose to receive their FTB bereavement payment for the relevant NBS period (up to 13 weeks).

Unless previously provided for the child, acceptable proof of birth is required.

Birth registration requirements do not apply to PPL or SBP claims for a stillborn child.

Points to note in completing the claim:

• The claim form comes with a Notes booklet which the customer should read before completing the claim
• Customers claiming PPL must meet the PPL income test and PPL work test. PPL cannot be paid as a lump sum payment. Customers can continue to receive PPL after the death of a child even if the customer returns to work
• Customers claiming FTB must provide an annual income estimate for the current financial year. Customers may choose to receive their FTB bereavement payment:
• as fortnightly instalments for up to 14 weeks, or
• as a lump sum
• Customers claiming SBP must provide an income estimate for the 6 month period beginning from the date of delivery of the stillborn child. SBP will be paid as a lump sum
• Customers will not be asked information about previous stillborn children in the bereavement claim
• This will be sourced from information on the customer record and, if required, a discussion with the customer

If the customer wishes to claim for additional children, they will need to lodge a separate claim.

The claim can be lodged online, in person or by mail. The reply paid address printed on the claim is for the agency's scanning provider. All advice regarding a child who has recently died (including the FA008) must be referred to the Bereavement/DOP Helpdesk.

Note: when helping customers complete a claim form, Service Officers must not make any notations, underline or make comments of any sort on a claim form. These must be made on a separate sheet of paper and attached to the customer's claim form, if required.