Bereavement Support Payment England, Wales & Scotland

About the Bereavement Support Payment

If you are under state pension age and your partner has died, you may also be eligible for the Bereavement Support Payment. Eligibility varies depending on whether you were married/civil partnered or living together as if you were partners.

Bereavement Support Payment is not means-tested. This means that your income and any savings you have will not affect what you get.

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Eligibility for married or civil partnered couples

When your spouse or civil partner died you must have been:

  • Under state pension age
  • Living in the UK or another country that pays bereavement benefits
  • Married to, or in a Civil Partnership with the person who has died

Your spouse or civil partner must have either:

  • Paid a National Insurance contributions for at least 26 weeks of any one tax year since 6th April 1975
  • Died because of an accident at work or a disease cause by work
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Eligibility for cohabiting partners

When your partner died you must have been:

  • Under state pension age
  • Living in the UK or another country that pays bereavement benefits
  • Living with your partner as if you were married

One of the following must also have applied when your partner died:

  • You were getting child benefit for a child that was living with you both
  • You were told by the child benefit office that you were eligible for child benefit, even if you chose not to claim it
  • You were pregnant

Your partner must have either:

  • Paid a National Insurance contributions for at least 26 weeks of any one tax year since 6th April 1975
  • Died because of an accident at work or a disease cause by work
A white male couple are stood by a window. One is holding a baby. The other is stood slightly behind with his hand affectionately on his partner's arm.

How much will I get?

If you were claiming, or eligible for, child benefit for a child that lived with you when your partner died, or were pregnant, you’ll be eligible for the higher rate.  The most you will receive is:

  • A one-off payment of £3,500
  • Up to 18 monthly payments of £350

If you’re not eligible for the higher rate, the most you will receive is:

  • A one-off payment of £2,500
  • Up to 18 monthly payments of £100

Things that might affect your payments:

  • You must claim within 3 months of your partner’s death to get the one-off payment and all 18 monthly payments.
  • If it’s been over 3 months but fewer than 12 months since your partner’s death, you can get the one-off payment but only some of the monthly payments.
  • If it’s been over 12 months but fewer than 21 months since your partner’s death, you cannot get the one-off payment but you can still get some monthly payments.
  • If it’s been over 21 months since your partner’s death, you usually cannot get any payments.
  • If you reach State Pension age within 18 months of your partner’s death, you may get fewer monthly payments.
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Will the payments affect my benefits?

Bereavement Support Payment will not affect your benefits for a year after your first payment. After a year, money you have left from your first payment could affect the amount you get if you renew or make a claim for another benefit.

You must tell your benefits office (for example, on your Universal Credit journal) when you start getting Bereavement Support Payment.

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How to claim

You’ll need the following information to make a claim for the Bereavement Support Payment:

  • your National Insurance number
  • your bank or building society account details
  • the date your partner died
  • your partner’s National Insurance number

To apply online, or to see other ways to claim, click below.

Claim Bereavement Support Payment
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Photo credits:

Josh Willink, Colins Brand, Karola G, Leeloo the First, Mikhail Nikov and RDNE Stock Project on Pexels