If your spouse or civil partner has died you may be able to claim Bereavement Support Payment to help ease some of the financial worries you may be facing. These benefits are not means-tested, this means they are available to anyone regardles of their income level and can be paid whether or not you are working.

You may be able to get Bereavement Support Payment if your husband, wife or civil partner died on or after 6 April 2017.

You could be eligible if your partner either:

• paid National Insurance contributions for at least 25 weeks
• 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 are in prison.

You will get a first payment and then up to 18 monthly payments.

There are 2 rates:

Higher rate:

First payment £3,500.00

Monthly £350.00

£350

Lower rate:

First payment £2,500

Monthly £100

If you get Child Benefit (or if you do not get it but are entitled to it), you will get the higher rate.

If you do not get Child Benefit, you will get the lower rate unless you were pregnant when your husband, wife or civil partner died.

You must claim within 3 months of your husband, wife or civil partner’s death to get the full amount. You can claim up to 21 months after but your payments will be less.

How is is paid?

Your payments will be paid into your bank or building society account.

If you get benefits

Bereavement Support Payment will not affect your benefits for a year after your first payment. After a year, any payment you have left over could affect the amount of benefit you’re eligible for.

You must tell your benefits office (for example, your local Jobcentre Plus) when you start getting Bereavement Support Payment.

How you apply depends on where you are.

If you’re in England, Scotland or Wales

You can apply using a form or by phone.

Download a Bereavement Support Payment pack (form BSP1) or order it over the phone from your local Jobcentre Plus.

Take the completed form to your local Jobcentre Plus or send it to:

Bereavement Support Payment

Mail Handling Site A

Wolverhampton

WV98 2BS

Bereavement Service helpline

Telephone: 0800 731 0469

Welsh language: 0800 731 0453

Textphone: 0800 731 0464

Welsh language: 0800 731 0456

NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0469

Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 3.30pm

If you are in Northern Ireland

There’s a different process in Northern Ireland.

If you are abroad

You can apply by phone.

International Pension Centre

Telephone: +44 (0) 191 218 7608

Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 3.30pm