Bereavement Support Payment: eligibility, how to claim and how much you’ll get

Bereavement Support Payment, which replaced the previous Widow's and Widower’s Benefit and Bereavement Allowance schemes, is the main benefit for people whose partner has died. You can claim it whether you’re working or not, and it doesn't matter how much other income, savings or occupational pension you have.

It is paid as a one-off lump sum followed by up to 18 monthly payments.  

Claiming as soon as possible matters. To get the full amount, payments can only be backdated by three months, so delaying could mean losing money.  

If you claim between 3 and 12 months after your partner's death, you’ll still get the lump sum, but fewer monthly payments.  

If you claim between 12 and 21 months after, you won't get the lump sum, and you’ll get fewer monthly payments too. After 21 months, you won’t be able to claim at all. 

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

Find out more about eligibilityOpens in a new window on GOV.UK. 

You can still get Bereavement Support Payment for up to 18 months even if you remarry or move in with a new partner. 

You could be owed Bereavement Support Payment if you were living with your partner and had dependent children together when they died.  

Bereavement Support Payment is paid at one of two rates depending on whether you are responsible for children who live with you. 

In 2026/27: 

• a one-off payment of £3,500 in the first month 
• £350 a month for up to 18 months.

In 2026/27: 

• a one-off payment of £2,500 in the first month 
• £100 a month for up to 18 months. 

You may also be able to top up your income with other benefits, such as Universal Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction, as the Bereavement Support Payment does not count as income when claiming those benefits.  

If your child’s mother or main adopter dies, you can take up to 52 weeks off work to care for your child. This is called Bereaved Partner's Paternity Leave.  

Your child must be under one years old, or it must be less than a year since they were placed with you for adoption. Your job is protected while you're on this leave, so things like holiday build-up, pay rises and your right to return to work still apply. 

If the birth mother dies and has a female partner, whether a wife, civil partner, or long-term partner, that partner can also take this leave, as long as she's responsible for bringing up the child. 

You can take this leave from your very first day in a new job. There's no minimum length of service needed. Whether you get paid during this leave is up to your employer.

You can claim from the date your partner died. Claims to get the full payment can only be backdated by three months, so it is important to apply as soon as you can. 

You can apply for Bereavement Support Payment online, by phone or by post. 

Online: apply for Bereavement Support PaymentOpens in a new window on GOV.UK .

By phone:

• England 0800 151 2012Opens in a new window 
• Welsh language 0800 731 0453Opens in a new window 
• textphone 0800 731 0464Opens in a new window.

Lines are free to call. Find out more about call chargesOpens in a new window on GOV.UK. 

By post: Pick up a claim form at your local Jobcentre Plus.  

If you’re getting Bereavement Support Payment, it won’t affect any of your other benefits, whether they’re means-tested or contribution-based. 

The monthly payments do not count as income at all, for as long as you receive them, up to the 18-month maximum.  

The lump sum you receive as part of Bereavement Support Payment might count as savings when your entitlement to some means-tested benefits is worked out. 

This only applies if you still have money left from the lump sum after 12 months that takes you over any savings limit associated with that benefit. 

If that applies to you, you may get less of the following benefits: 

• Housing Benefit 
• Council Tax Reduction 
• Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance 
• Universal Credit. 

Find out more in our guide How do savings and lump sum payouts affect benefits?

Yes, you can backdate a claim by up to three months. You can claim any time up to 21 months after your partner died, but the longer you wait, the fewer monthly payments you'll get, and if you wait too long, you may not get the lump sum at all. 

You’re eligible if you were married, cohabiting or in a civil partnership when your partner died, and you were either pregnant or caring for children. The children must be under 18, or over 18 and in full-time non-advanced education, such as school, college or approved training. This doesn't include university or apprenticeships. 

You can claim online, by phone, or using a postal form. 

If your spouse or civil partner died before 6 April 2017, you may be getting Widowed Parent's Allowance instead. New claims for Widowed Parent's Allowance have not been accepted since 8 February 2024. 

If your income drops after your partner dies, you may be able to claim Universal Credit. This can top up your income and help with things like housing costs, child care or bringing up children. 

Universal Credit is means-tested, which means your savings and income will affect what you're entitled to. For example, an inheritance that takes your savings over £16,000 may affect your eligibility. 

Losing a partner is incredibly tough and adjusting to life after can feel like a lot to handle. Learn what steps to take with our guide Managing your finances after your partner dies.

You can claim online, by phone, or using a postal form. 

If your spouse or civil partner died before 6 April 2017, you may be getting Widowed Parent's Allowance instead. New claims for Widowed Parent's Allowance have not been accepted since 8 February 2024. 

Tell Us Once lets you notify multiple government organisations about a death in one goOpens in a new window, saving you time during a difficult period.  

Find out more in our guide What to do when someone dies. 

If you and your spouse or civil partner were eligible for Marriage Allowance from HMRC but never claimed it, you may still be able to claim up to four years of backdated payments, even after their death. This is separate from Bereavement Support Payment.  

Find out more in our guide to Marriage and Married Couple's Allowance.