WAY proud to support Widow’s Fight campaign

July 2026

WAY Widowed and Young is proud to stand alongside the Widow’s Fight campaign as it calls for fairer, longer-term financial support for bereaved families across the UK.

Spearheaded by WAY member Caroline Booth, the Widow’s Fight campaign has been fighting this cause for more than six months. In June, bereaved families took their protest to Parliament Square. And earlier this month, they secured more than 100,000 signatures for their petition, which calls for Bereavement Support Payments to be extended and uprated in line with inflation.

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On 9 July, Caroline and others presented their successful petition to Downing Street – alongside former WAY Chair Caroline Voaden, who is now the MP for South Devon. The petition will trigger a Parliamentary debate, which is expected to happen in September, giving bereaved parents and children a vital opportunity to be heard.

WAY has signed an open letter to all MPs – alongside charities including Child Bereavement UK, Cruse Bereavement Supportand Gingerbread – calling for their support in the debate.

Why WAY is supporting the campaign

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"The financial impact of being widowed young can be devastating,” said WAY’s Chief Executive Stephanie Patrick. “Overnight, families often lose more than half of their household income while trying to navigate the emotional trauma of losing a partner.

At WAY Widowed and Young, we know this isn't just a short-term challenge. Our latest member survey found that bereavement had had a significant impact on finances for two thirds of our members, with many telling us they are making impossible choices just to keep their families afloat.

That’s why we are proud to support the Widow’s Fight campaign. Cutting financial support for widowed parents to just 18 months was a cruel and shortsighted policy decision. Grief doesn't end after a year and a half, and neither do the financial pressures that come with it.”

“We're deeply concerned that the changes to the bereavement support system are storing up greater problems for the future,” added Stephanie. “If widowed parents are forced to work two or three jobs simply to make ends meet, they have less time to support their children through one of the most traumatic experiences of their lives. No child should lose a parent and then lose the support they need to rebuild their future.

Bereaved families need time, stability and compassion – not an arbitrary deadline. We stand with the Widow’s Fight campaign in calling for a system that recognises the lasting impact of bereavement and gives families the breathing space they need to recover and rebuild.”

Why reform is needed now

The current system provides only 18 months of support to widowed parents, regardless of a child’s age or needs. Introduced on 6 April 2017, the change left 91% of families with grieving children supported for a shorter time than they would have been under the previous system, and 75% worse off, according to the Childhood Bereavement Network.

Under the previous Widowed Parent’s Allowance system, the median claim lasted five to six years, with support available for up to 20 years in the most extreme cases. By contrast, the current 18-month limit can leave families facing financial pressure long after the initial period of bereavement has passed.

Since 2017, Bereavement Support Payment has also never been uprated in line with inflation, meaning its real-term value has fallen year after year. 

How to support the campaign

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Widow’s Fight is led by WAY member Caroline Booth, alongside many other WAY members who have supported the campaign by sharing their stories, signing the petition, writing to their MPs and standing up to make sure their voices are heard. Caroline has been nominated for this year’s Mandy Burrows Award in recognition of her dedication to this campaign.

Please take the time to write to your MP to make your voice heard too.

Visit Widow’s Fight for more information and letter templates https://www.widowsfight.co.uk