Bereavement Support Payment: Widowed Parents Bereaved On or After 6 April 2017

If your partner died on or after 6 April 2017 and before 9 February 2023, you may still be eligible to make a retrospective claim for Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) until 8 November 2024.

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Even if you are not eligible now, you might be eligible for any periods after 30 August 2018 when you did meet all the criteria. 

The criteria for making a retrospective payment for Bereavement Support Payment are as follows:

• You were bereaved on or after 6 April 2017 and before 9 February 2023.
• You were cohabiting with your partner when they died.
• You were eligible for Child Benefit or were pregnant when your partner died OR you became eligible for Child Benefit for a child who was living with you both immediately before your partner died. 
• Your partner had paid National Insurance (NI) 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.
• You are under State Pension age.
• You live in the UK or certain other countries.

You cannot claim BSP if you are in prison.

You can check eligibility here. 

Bereaved parents had 12 months (until 9 February 2024) to put in a retrospective claim for Bereavement Support Payment. After that date, cohabiting parents may still be able to receive some retrospective payments until 8 November 2024 so it is still worth submitting an application, if you think you may be eligible.

Please note: The retrospective payment for Bereavement Support Payment will not be taxed. It will not immediately count towards the benefit cap, Universal Credit, means-tested benefits or tax credits – it will be treated as capital and disregarded for 12 months.
 

What if I was bereaved on or after 9 February 2023?

If you were bereaved on or after 9 February 2023 and meet the eligibility criteria for Bereavement Support Payment, you will be entitled to the same payments as bereaved parents who are married or in a civil partnership. You have three months from the date of your bereavement to put in your claim for an initial lump sum of £3,500 and 18 x £350 monthly payments,

How to apply for BSP

To apply for Bereavement Support Payment, you will need:

• your National Insurance number

• your bank or building society account details

• the date your partner died

• your partner’s National Insurance number

Claims for Bereavement Support Payment can be made online, over the phone or by post.

Click here to apply

 

Hear from WAY members who have applied for Bereavement Support Payment in our Campaign stories section.

Read the Campaign FAQs