Shared Parental Leave Request Form
Free shared parental leave request form for UK employers. SPL notification and booking forms for parents sharing leave.
Use these forms to manage Shared Parental Leave requests and bookings.
Shared Parental Leave - Initial Notification Form
Mother's/Primary Adopter's Maternity/Adoption Leave Curtailment Notice
Complete this section if you are the mother/primary adopter who will be curtailing maternity/adoption leave to create SPL.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Employee Name | |
| Position | |
| Department | |
| Partner's Name | |
| Date of This Notice |
Birth Details (For Birth Parents)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Baby's actual date of birth | |
| Expected week of childbirth was | Week beginning: |
| Maternity leave started on |
Adoption Details (For Adopters)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Child's date of placement | |
| Date matched with child | |
| Adoption leave started on |
Curtailment of Maternity/Adoption Leave
I give notice that I am curtailing my maternity/adoption leave.
My maternity/adoption leave will end on: [Date - must be at least 8 weeks from this notice]
This must be:
- At least 2 weeks after birth (4 weeks if factory worker)
- At least 2 weeks after adoption placement
- At least 8 weeks from date of this notice
Weeks of leave I will have taken: [X] weeks
This creates: [52 - X - 2] weeks of Shared Parental Leave available to share with my partner
Important: This curtailment is usually binding and cannot be revoked except in limited circumstances (partner dies, relationship ends, or during revocation period if given before birth/placement).
Shared Parental Leave - Notice of Entitlement and Intention
Both parents must complete this section (separately or jointly).
Parent 1 (Mother/Primary Adopter)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | |
| National Insurance Number | |
| Address | |
| Employer Name | [Your company if employed by you] |
| Employment Start Date |
I meet the eligibility requirements:
- I have 26 weeks' continuous employment by the end of the 15th week before EWC/matching
- I have average weekly earnings of at least £123
- I share responsibility for the child with my partner
- I will share care of the child during SPL
Parent 2 (Partner)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | |
| National Insurance Number | |
| Address | |
| Employer Name | [Your company if employed by you] |
| Employment Start Date | [If employed by you] |
I meet the eligibility requirements:
- I have 26 weeks' continuous employment by the end of the 15th week before EWC/matching
- I have average weekly earnings of at least £123
- I share responsibility for the child with my partner
- I will share care of the child during SPL
OR (if not employed by you):
- My partner's employer is: [Name and address]
- I meet the employment/earnings test (employed/self-employed earning £123+ per week in 13 of 66 weeks before EWC/matching)
Child Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Child's name (if born/placed) | |
| Date of birth / placement | |
| Expected week of childbirth (if not yet born) | Week beginning: |
Total SPL Available
Total weeks of Shared Parental Leave available to share: [X] weeks
Calculation:
- Total parental leave available: 52 weeks
- Minus maternity/adoption leave taken by mother/primary adopter: [X] weeks
- Minus compulsory maternity/adoption leave period: 2 weeks
- = SPL available: [X] weeks
Intended Pattern of Leave
This is an initial indication of how you intend to share the leave. This is non-binding and for planning purposes.
Mother's/Primary Adopter's Intended Leave
| Period | Start Date | End Date | Weeks | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maternity/adoption leave | [Date] | [Date] | [X] | Maternity/adoption |
| SPL Period 1 (if any) | [Date] | [Date] | [X] | SPL |
| SPL Period 2 (if any) | [Date] | [Date] | [X] | SPL |
Total SPL I intend to take: [X] weeks
Partner's Intended Leave
| Period | Start Date | End Date | Weeks | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paternity leave (if taking) | [Date] | [Date] | [1-2] | Paternity |
| SPL Period 1 | [Date] | [Date] | [X] | SPL |
| SPL Period 2 (if any) | [Date] | [Date] | [X] | SPL |
Total SPL I intend to take: [X] weeks
Combined SPL Total
Mother/primary adopter: [X] weeks SPL Partner: [Y] weeks SPL Total SPL to be taken: [X + Y] weeks (must not exceed total available) SPL unused: [If any] weeks
Declarations
Mother's/Primary Adopter's Declaration
I declare that:
- The information provided is correct
- I meet the eligibility requirements for SPL
- I will share the main responsibility for caring for the child with my partner
- I consent to my partner's employer processing this information
- I will immediately inform my employer if I cease to be eligible
Signature: _________________ Date: _________
Partner's Declaration
I declare that:
- The information provided is correct
- I meet the eligibility requirements for SPL
- I will share the main responsibility for caring for the child with my partner
- I consent to my partner's employer processing this information
- I will immediately inform my employer (if applicable) if I cease to be eligible
Signature: _________________ Date: _________
Shared Parental Leave - Period of Leave Notice (Booking Notice)
Use this form to request specific dates for Shared Parental Leave. You can submit up to 3 booking notices.
This is booking notice number: [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Employee Name | |
| Partner's Name | |
| Date of This Notice | |
| Child's Name | |
| Child's Date of Birth/Placement |
Notice Requirements
This notice must be given at least 8 weeks before the first period of SPL requested.
Date of first requested SPL period: [Date]
8 weeks before this is: [Date] ✓ This notice is dated [on or before] that date
Periods of Leave Requested
You may request up to 3 separate periods of SPL in one booking notice.
Period 1
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Start date of SPL | |
| End date of SPL | |
| Total weeks requested |
Period 2 (if discontinuous leave)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Start date of SPL | |
| End date of SPL | |
| Total weeks requested |
Period 3 (if discontinuous leave)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Start date of SPL | |
| End date of SPL | |
| Total weeks requested |
Total weeks in this booking notice: [X] weeks
Weeks of SPL already taken: [Y] weeks
Weeks of SPL remaining after this request: [Z] weeks
Type of Leave Pattern
This booking notice requests:
-
Continuous leave - one unbroken period of SPL
- (Employer must accept continuous leave requests)
-
Discontinuous leave - SPL in 2 or 3 separate blocks
- (Employer can refuse discontinuous patterns and propose alternatives)
Shared Parental Pay (ShPP)
Do you wish to claim Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) during this leave?
- Yes, I wish to claim ShPP for [X] weeks of this leave
- No, I do not wish to claim ShPP
ShPP can be claimed for up to 37 weeks (combined with partner) if you meet the eligibility criteria.
Weeks of ShPP already taken by you: [X] weeks Weeks of ShPP taken by partner: [Y] weeks Weeks of ShPP available: [37 - X - Y] weeks
Declaration
I confirm that:
- The information in this notice is accurate
- I meet the eligibility criteria for SPL and ShPP (if claiming)
- The total SPL requested (including this notice) does not exceed my entitlement
- I am giving at least 8 weeks' notice before the first period of SPL
- I will share care of the child during the SPL periods requested
- This is booking notice number [1/2/3] - I understand I have a maximum of 3 notices
Employee signature: _________________ Date: _________
Employer Response to SPL Booking Notice
[Company Name] [Address]
[Date]
[Employee Name]
Dear [Employee Name],
Response to Shared Parental Leave Booking Notice
Thank you for your booking notice dated [date] requesting Shared Parental Leave.
Booking notice number: [1/2/3]
Continuous Leave Request - Accepted
[Use this section for continuous leave requests - these must be accepted]
Your request for a continuous period of Shared Parental Leave has been accepted.
SPL confirmed:
| Start Date | End Date | Weeks | ShPP |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Date] | [Date] | [X] | Yes/No |
Return to work date: [Date]
Shared Parental Pay:
[If claiming ShPP and eligible:] You will receive Shared Parental Pay of £[rate] per week (or 90% of average weekly earnings if lower) for [X] weeks. This will be paid through normal payroll.
[If not eligible:] You do not qualify for ShPP because [reason].
Your remaining entitlement:
- SPL weeks remaining: [X] weeks
- Booking notices remaining: [2/1/0]
Discontinuous Leave Request - Accepted
[Use this section if accepting a discontinuous leave pattern]
Your request for discontinuous Shared Parental Leave has been accepted as requested.
SPL periods confirmed:
| Period | Start Date | End Date | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Period 1 | [Date] | [Date] | [X] |
| Period 2 | [Date] | [Date] | [X] |
| Period 3 | [Date] | [Date] | [X] |
Shared Parental Pay: [Details as above]
Your remaining entitlement: [As above]
Discontinuous Leave Request - Alternative Proposed
[Use this section if you cannot accept the discontinuous pattern as requested]
We have considered your request for discontinuous Shared Parental Leave but are unable to accommodate the pattern requested due to [business reasons].
We propose the following alternative:
| Period | Start Date | End Date | Weeks | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Period 1 | [Date] | [Date] | [X] | [Explanation] |
| Period 2 | [Date] | [Date] | [X] | [Explanation] |
Please respond within 5 days to:
- Accept our counter-proposal, or
- Take the total weeks as one continuous block starting on [original first date], or
- Withdraw your notice
If we don't hear from you within 5 days, the leave will default to one continuous period starting [date] for [X] weeks.
Next Steps
Before your leave starts:
- Please arrange handover with [Manager]
- Discuss any Keeping in Touch days
- Update us if your plans change (with 8 weeks' notice)
- Confirm your expected return date
Keeping in Touch (KIT) Days:
You may work up to 20 Keeping in Touch days during your SPL without affecting your ShPP. This is optional and must be agreed by both parties.
If your plans change:
You may vary or cancel this leave by giving at least 8 weeks' written notice. However, this would count as using one of your 3 booking notices.
Contact during leave:
We will only contact you if essential. If you have questions, contact [HR/Manager] on [details].
Yours sincerely,
[Name] [Job Title]
Key Information for Employers
Eligibility Criteria
Employee must have:
- 26 weeks' continuous service by end of 15th week before EWC/matching
- Average weekly earnings of £123+
- Shared responsibility for child with partner
Partner must have:
- Worked (employed or self-employed) in 13 of the 66 weeks before EWC/matching
- Earned £123+ per week (average) in 13 of those weeks
- Shared responsibility for child
Notice Requirements
| Notice Type | Deadline | Binding? |
|---|---|---|
| Curtailment notice | At least 8 weeks before end of mat/adoption leave | Yes (usually) |
| Notice of entitlement | At least 8 weeks before first SPL | No (non-binding indication) |
| Booking notice | At least 8 weeks before SPL starts | Yes (if accepted) |
| Variation/cancellation | At least 8 weeks before affected leave | Counts as booking notice |
Booking Notices
- Employee can submit up to 3 booking notices
- Each can request up to 3 periods of leave
- Continuous leave must be accepted
- Discontinuous leave can be refused (propose alternative or defaults to continuous block)
Employer Response Deadlines
- Continuous leave: Must accept, confirm within 14 days
- Discontinuous leave: Must respond within 14 days (accept, propose alternative, or refuse)
- If no response, leave request is deemed accepted as requested
Shared Parental Pay (ShPP)
- Up to 37 weeks can be paid (shared between both parents)
- Rate: £184.03/week or 90% of average weekly earnings (whichever is lower) for 2024/25
- Same eligibility criteria as SPL plus earnings requirement
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not responding within 14 days to booking notices
- Refusing continuous leave requests (you must accept)
- Not checking partner eligibility properly
- Miscalculating available SPL weeks
- Not obtaining required declarations and information
- Refusing without good business reason
- Not keeping clear records of booking notices used
Related templates
Maternity Leave Letter Templates
Free maternity leave letter templates for UK employers. Notification response, leave confirmation, and return to work letters.
Paternity Leave Request Form and Letters
Free paternity leave templates for UK employers. Request form, confirmation letter, and SPP notification for births and adoptions.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who is eligible for Shared Parental Leave?
- Both parents must have 26 weeks' continuous service by the end of the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth/matching, earn at least £123/week, and share responsibility for the child. The mother/primary adopter must curtail their maternity/adoption leave to create the SPL entitlement.
- How much notice is required for Shared Parental Leave?
- Initial intention to take SPL must be notified at least 8 weeks before the first period of leave. Each booking notice (requesting specific dates) must be given at least 8 weeks before the leave starts. Mothers must give 8 weeks' notice to curtail maternity leave.
- Can employees change their minds about Shared Parental Leave?
- Yes, within limits. Employees can give up to 3 booking notices (requesting leave dates). They can vary or cancel leave with 8 weeks' notice. However, once maternity/adoption leave is curtailed, that decision is generally irreversible.