Have you heard of the Bereavement Support Payment?
Not very many people have but the BSP is a payment that you may be able to claim if your husband, wife, or civil partner died after 6 April 2017. Because this benefit isn’t means-tested, you can make a claim regardless of your income or whether you’re in work.
The BSP has replaced Bereavement Allowance (which was previously known as ‘Widow’s Pension’), Widowed Parent’s Allowance and Bereavement Payment.
What is the eligibility criteria?
You may be able to get Bereavement Support Payment if your husband, wife or civil partner died in the last 21 months.
You must claim within 3 months of your partner’s death to get the full amount. You can claim up to 21 months after their death but you’ll get fewer monthly payments.
You could be eligible if your partner either:
paid National Insurance contributions 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
When they died you must have been:
under State Pension age
living in the UK or a country that pays bereavement benefits
You cannot claim Bereavement Support Payment if you’re in prison.
If your partner died more than 21 months ago
You may still be able to claim Bereavement Support Payment if your husband, wife or civil partner’s cause of death was confirmed more than 21 months after the death. Call the Bereavement Service helpline on 0800 151 2012.
If your husband, wife or civil partner died before 6 April 2017, you may be able to get Widowed Parent’s Allowance instead.
How much Bereavement Support Payment could you receive?
There are two different rates of Bereavement Support Payment:
You could get £2,500 followed by a further 18 monthly payments of £100.
If you’re responsible for a child under the age of 20, you could get £3,500 followed by 18 monthly payments of £350.
These payments aren’t taxable and are disregarded when calculating your entitlement to means-tested benefits and the benefit cap.
For more information on how to claim, please click here.
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