Losing a husband, wife or civil partner can be trauma enough, but when mixed with financial difficulties it can be even harder to cope. Dependent upon your circumstances (not simply on your financial position), you can apply to the Department for Work and Pensions for financial assistance.
The rules surrounding bereavement benefits have recently been considerably simplified for anyone who lost a spouse or civil partner after 6 April 2017, when Parliament decided to base the framework on one combined benefit, rather than multiple benefits.
We have addressed the situation both pre and post 6 April 2017, given how recently these changes have been introduced.
If Your Spouse or Civil Partner Died On or After 6 April 2017
Bereavement Support Payment (BSP)
You can make an application for BSP if your spouse or civil partner (hereinafter collectively referred to as “partner”) paid National Insurance contributions for at least 25 weeks OR they died due to an accident at work or from a disease which was caused by virtue of their work (for example an industrial disease). You must also have been under the State Pension age at the date of your partner’s death.
As long as you claim BSP within 3 months of your partner’s death you will be entitled to the full benefit amount, which consists of a one-off payment followed by 18 monthly payments. The one-off payment and monthly payment are both dependent upon your family circumstances:
| Circumstance | First payment | Monthly payment |
| You have children under 20 in full-time education | £3,500 | £350 |
| You don’t have children under 20 in full-time education | £2,500 | £100 |
You can still make a claim after 3 months, and up to 21 months after your partner’s death, but the amount you will receive will be less.
You can find further information on BSP or make a claim by clicking here.
If Your Spouse or Civil Partner Died Before 6 April 2017
Rather than one benefit, there are three benefits that you might be eligible for – Bereavement Payment, Bereavement Allowance and Widowed Parent’s Allowance. You do not need to make three separate claims; all three benefits will be assessed when you make a claim for any one of them.
- Bereavement Payment
You will be entitled to a one-off Bereavement Payment of £2,000 if, when your partner died, you were under State Pension age OR you were over State Pension age but your partner wasn’t entitled to a State Pension due to their National Insurance contributions.
You can find further information or make a claim by clicking here.
- Bereavement Allowance (BA)
You may be eligible for BA (which was formerly known as a Widow’s Pension) if all of the following apply:
- you were 45 or over when your partner died;
- you are under State Pension age; and
- your partner paid National Insurance contributions, or they died as a result of an industrial accident or disease
You are entitled to BA for up to 52 weeks, starting from the date that your partner died. The exact amount that you will receive will depend on the overall level of your partner’s National Insurance contributions and your age at the date of their death:
| Your age at your partner’s death | Maximum weekly rate |
| 45 years old | £34.11 |
| 46 years old | £42.07 |
| 47 years old | £50.03 |
| 48 years old | £57.99 |
| 49 years old | £65.95 |
| 50 years old | £73.91 |
| 51 years old | £81.86 |
| 52 years old | £89.82 |
| 53 years old | £97.78 |
| 54 years old | £105.74 |
| 55 years old to State Pension age | £113.70 |
You can find out further information on BA or make a claim by clicking here.
The BA is only applicable if you are not raising any children. If you are, then you will need to claim the below Widowed Parent’s Allowance instead.
- Widowed Parent’s Allowance (WPA)
You may be eligible for WPA if all of the following apply:
- you are under State Pension age;
- you are entitled to Child Benefit for at least one child and your partner was their parent; and
- your partner paid National Insurance contributions, or they died as a result of an industrial accident or disease
You may also make a claim for WPA if you are pregnant and it is your husband that has died, or if you are pregnant following fertility treatment and it is your civil partner that has died.
You can find more information on WPA or make a claim by clicking here.
If you would like to discuss bereavement benefits, or we can be of any further assistance in respect of a family member who has passed away, then please do not hesitate to contact us by clicking here. Don’t forget you can also refer to our guide ‘What To Do When Someone Dies’ by clicking here.