Bereavement benefits and financial support

Bereavement Support Payment is money that you may be able to claim as a bereavement benefit if your husband, wife or partner dies. You may also be able to claim this money if you were not married, but have children and were living together at the time of their death. 

You may hear this payment being called other names, such as:  

• Bereavement Allowance (previously Widow's Pension) 
• Widowed Parent’s Allowance 
• Bereavement Payment. 

These are similar bereavement benefits that were replaced by the Bereavement Support Payment in 2017.  

You are eligible for Bereavement Support Payment if:

• the bereavement happened on or after 6 April 2017 
• you were under State Pension age when they died 
• your partner paid National Insurance Contributions for at least 25 weeks in any single tax year since 1975, or died because of an accident at work or a disease caused by work. If they had a disability and were unable to work, you may still be able to claim.  
• you were living in the UK at the time of the death (or another country that pays bereavement benefits). 

• you had a child and were getting Child Benefit when they died (or were entitled to it), or you were pregnant. 
• the bereavement happened on or after 6 April 2017 
• you were under State Pension age when they died 
• you were under State Pension age on 30 August 2018 
• your partner paid National Insurance Contributions for at least 25 weeks in any single tax year since 1975, or died because of an accident at work or a disease caused by work. If they had a disability and were unable to work, you may still be able to claim.  
• you were living in the UK at the time of the death (or another country that pays bereavement benefits).

Changes in 2023 

Before 9 February 2023 if you were not married, you were not eligible for bereavement benefits.  

The rules have now changed. If you lived with your partner, were not married and cared for a child together (or were pregnant) you are entitled to claim for Bereavement Support Payment.  

Because of this change, many people will be able to make backdated claims for bereavements that happened years ago. But you will only be able to claim the full amount if you apply before 8 February 2024. After that, you may only get some of the payment, or none at all. 

Bereavement Support Payment was introduced on 6 April 2017. If your partner died before 6 April 2017 and you have not yet claimed, you may still be able to get Widowed Parent’s Allowance. You may not get the full amount.

No, you are only eligible for Bereavement Support Payment if your spouse or partner (who you had a child and lived with) has died.  

See Other financial support below for information on other benefits you may be entitled to.  

Bereavement Support Payment is not means-tested, so you can make a claim however much you earn, how much you have in savings or whether you're working. But you must meet the eligibility criteria above to claim.

For those who live, move or travel abroad, you can continue to claim your bereavement benefits if you are already getting payments. If you live outside the UK, you may be able to make a new claim, if you live in an eligible country. 

The Government website has information on claiming benefits if you live, move or travel abroad. 

Bereavement Support Payment will be paid to you at either a standard rate or higher rate, depending on your circumstances.

Standard rate

If you don’t have children, you will get: 

• a one-off payment of £2,500 during the first month 
• a monthly payment of £100 for 18 months. 

Higher rate

The higher rate is available to those who are pregnant at the time of the death or if you have children under 20 and are entitled to Child Benefit. You will get: 

• a one-off payment of £3,500 during the first month
• a monthly payment of £350 for 18 months following the death.

You will get:

• a one-off payment of £3,500
• a monthly payment of £350 for 18 months following the death.

The number of payments you receive may change depending on when your partner died.  

There are a few different ways that you can claim Bereavement Support Payment.

Apply online through the GOV.UK website.

Call the Bereavement Service helpline on 0800 731 0469.

A claim form can be downloaded from the Government website or you can get in touch with your local Jobcentre Plus to have a form posted to you. Once you have completed your form, you can take it to your nearest job centre or send it to the below address: 

Bereavement Support Payment 
Mail Handling Site A 
Wolverhampton 
WV98 2BS

See Help with applying for Bereavement Support if you are finding this hard or have any questions.  

We know that applying for benefits can be really complicated. It can be hard to understand what you’re entitled to and stressful trying to get the applications right. Especially when you are grieving.  

There are tools and services to make things easier. It is always sensible to check you’re getting everything you should be, at the right amount.  

• Find a local benefits adviser 
• Use an online benefits calculator. For example: 
  • Turn2us
  • Entitled to
  • Policy in practice

Bereavement Support Payment should be applied for within three months of your partner’s death to make sure you get the full amount.  

You can claim up to 21 months after their death, but for every month later that you claim, you’ll receive one fewer monthly payment. 

You may still be able to claim Bereavement Support Payment if:  

• your partner’s cause of death was confirmed more than 21 months after their death
• you are making a backdated claim because of the changes explained above. 

The Department for Work and Pensions aims to make the payment to you as soon as possible. You should receive your lump sum payment within a few weeks of applying.

You will get up to 18 monthly payments after your first payment. If you claim after three months of the death, you will get fewer monthly payments. 

Bereavement Support Payment is not taxable and is disregarded when calculating your entitlement to means-tested benefits and the benefit cap.  

Please be aware that after a year, money you have left over from your first payment could affect the amount you get if you renew or make a new claim for another benefit. 

If you are struggling financially after your partner’s death, you may be able to apply for Universal Credit. 

You might also qualify to claim other low income benefits to top up your income.

You might also be able to claim extra pension payments from your partner’s pension or National Insurance contributions. 

You might also be able to claim for a Funeral Expenses Payment if you already get certain benefits, meet the requirement for your relationship with the deceased and need financial help to pay for a funeral you’re organising. 

Although it will not usually cover all costs, the Funeral Expenses Payment can help cover the cost of: 

• burial fees for a plot 
• cremation fees and the cost of a doctor’s certificate 
• your travel when arranging and going to the funeral 
• the cost of moving the body in the UK, if this is more than 50 miles 
• a death certificate or other important documents required.

How much financial support you get will depend on your personal circumstances. This can include any other money that’s available to cover the funeral costs, from an insurance policy or the deceased person’s estate, for example. 

See information on the Government website or our advice on How to arrange a funeral.