If your civil partner or spouse has passed away in the last 21 months, you may be eligible for Bereavement Support Payment. When you’re coping with grief, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to continue your usual daily duties and tasks. Bereavement Support Payment is a way to claim some financial support after a loved one’s passing. This financial support can help bring a small bit of reassurance in what is otherwise an uncertain time.
What Is Bereavement Support Payment?
Bereavement Support Payment is a tax-free benefit designed to help lift the financial burden brought on when a partner passes away. It is available to anybody who is under State Pension age and was in a civil partnership or marriage with the person who passed away.
Bereavement Support Payment replaced Bereavement Allowance, Bereavement Payment, and Widowed Parent’s Allowance in 2017. To make it simpler, Bereavement Support now covers all three legacy benefits. This benefit isn’t means-tested, so the amount you receive isn’t affected by income, savings, or any other benefit.
Can I Claim Bereavement Support Payment
To be eligible for Bereavement Support Payment your partner must have met one of the following criteria:
- Made National Insurance Contributions for at least 25 weeks in one year since April 1975
- Passed away because of an accident or sickness caused by their work
The following must also be true for you:
- You are not in prison
- You are under State Pension age
- Your partner passed away less than 21 months ago
To receive the full amount of Bereavement Support Payment, you need to start the claim within 3 months of your partner passing away. For ‘late’ claims, the amount of monthly payments will be reduced for each month the claim was ‘late’. For example, a ‘full’ claim entitles a person to 18 monthly payments. If they made their claim 4 months after their partner passed away, they would only be entitled to 17 monthly payments, and so on.
How Much Could I Get?
The amount of Bereavement Support Payment you’ll receive is based on a few different factors. There are two rates of payment, known as a ‘higher’ and ‘lower’ rate.
The ‘higher’ rate entitles you to a single payment of £3,500 followed by 18 monthly payments of £350. With the ‘lower’ rate you will receive a single payment of £2,500 followed by 18 monthly payments of £100.
If you are entitled to Child Benefit, you will receive the ‘higher’ rate. You will also receive the ‘higher’ rate if you were pregnant at the time of your partner’s passing.
If you receive other benefits, you may also be eligible for a Funeral Expenses Payment to help with funeral costs.
How to Claim
If you wish to claim Bereavement Support Payment, you can start the process by telephone, post, or by using an online form.
To apply online, you can fill in the government form. Be aware that there is a temporary limit on how many people can use the online service in a day. If you find that it is unavailable, you may have to claim by using one of the other options.
You can apply by post by downloading a Bereavement Support Payment form. Alternatively, you can call the Bereavement Service Helpline on 0800 731 0469.
What If I Don’t Qualify?
Provided you meet the eligibility requirements listed above, you will receive either the ‘higher’ or ‘lower’ rate of the Bereavement Support Payment.
Even if your partner passed away more than 21 months ago, you may still be eligible for some Bereavement Support Payment. Contact the Bereavement Service Helpline for more information or any queries regarding the process.
More Useful Benefits
As Bereavement Support Payment does not affect any other benefits, you may be eligible for additional forms of financial help. For more information, read our helpful guide to benefits for older people.
Some examples of other benefits are:
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