Claiming Bereavement Support Payment and other benefits

Bereavement Support Payment is the main benefit available to you if your partner has died. It has replaced the following benefits:

• Bereavement Allowance
• Widowed Parent’s Allowance, and  
• Bereavement Payment. 

When your partner died, you must have been:

• under State Pension ageOpens in a new window

• living in the UK or a country that pays bereavement benefitsOpens in a new window

Your partner must have either:

• paid National Insurance contributionsOpens in a new window for at least 25 weeks in one tax year since 6 April 1975

• died because of an accident at work or a disease caused by work.

Find out more about eligibility on GOV.UKOpens in a new window

The benefit is paid to you at one of two rates, depending on whether you’re responsible for children.

Bereavement Support Payment is only paid for 18 months after the date your spouse or civil partner died. So it’s important you claim as soon as possible to avoid losing money.

Bereavement Support Payment is paid at either a higher rate or standard rate:

Paid to pregnant women or if you’re entitled to Child Benefit. In 2025/26 you’ll get:

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

For everyone else. In 2025/26 you’ll get:

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

You might also qualify to claim other low income benefits to top up your income, such as tax credits, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction or Universal Credit.

You can claim Bereavement Support Payment online or by phone.

You can claim from the date the person died.

Claims for Bereavement Support Payment can only be backdated by three months, so make sure you make your claim as soon as you’re able to or you might lose some of your payments.

You can apply for Bereavement Support Payment on GOV.UK, by telephone or by post.

Call the Bereavement Service helpline or pick up a form at your local JobCentre Plus.

If you need to let various government departments and insurance companies know about the death of a loved one, there are helpful services available. 

Tell Us Once can help you notify multiple government organisations all at once. To help you navigate the process during this difficult time, find out more in our guide What to do when someone dies.

If you’re on a low income and struggling to pay for a funeral for your partner, close friend or relative, you can apply for a Funeral Expenses Payment.

If the person who died left money, you’ll usually need to pay back any amount you received through the Funeral Payments scheme.

The law changed on 9 February 2023, and now parents and carers who aren’t married or in a civil partnership, but who live together and have dependent children can make new claims for Bereavement Support Payment if their partner dies.

You’re eligible for bereavement benefits if you were married, cohabiting or in a civil partnership when your partner died, and were pregnant or caring for children who were either under 18 or over 18 and in full time non-advanced education. Non-advanced education includes school, college, or approved training, but not university.

Which benefit you claim depends on when your partner died.

If your partner died you can claim Bereavement Support Payment onlineOpens in a new window, by phone or with a postal form.