HM Revenue & Customs

Date child matched or Official Notification rec'd

Matching date
This is the date on which the employee has been matched with a child. You can find this date on the SC4 or SC5 forms.

SC4 (form) - Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) adoption application
When an employee becomes an adoptive parent and wants to make an application for SPP, use form SC4 to tell the employee about the SPP terms and conditions. It includes an application for the employee to make a declaration of family commitment and tells you about dates and leave. You must have this declaration before you can make payment.

SC5 (form) - SPP adoption from abroad application
When an employee adopts a child from abroad and wants to make an application for SPP, use form SC5 to tell the employee about the SPP terms and conditions. It includes an application for the employee to make a declaration of family commitment and tells you about dates and leave. You must have this
declaration before you can make payment.

Official notification – Adoption from abroad
This date can be found on the 'official notification'. This 'official notification' is a letter to the adopter telling them that a 'certificate of eligibility' has been issued. The certificate of eligibility tells the authorities abroad, that the adopter has been assessed as suitable to adopt a child from abroad.