Bereavement Support Payment
What you'll get
The amount of Bereavement Support Payment you can get will depend on:
- your relationship to the person who died
- when you make your claim
- when you reach State Pension age
Your payments will be paid into your bank, building society or credit union account.
Your relationship to the person who died
If you were married or in a registered civil partnership
You鈥檒l get the higher rate if one of the following applied when your partner died:
- you were getting Child Benefit for a child that lived with you
- you were told by the Child Benefit Office that you were entitled to Child Benefit for a child that lived with you
- you were pregnant
The most you can get is:
- a one-off payment of 拢3,500
- 18 monthly payments of 拢350
If you鈥檙e not eligible for the higher rate, you鈥檒l get the lower rate instead.
The most you can get is:
- a one-off payment of 拢2,500
- 18 monthly payments of 拢100
If you were living together as if you were married
The most you can get is:
- a one-off payment of 拢3,500
- 18 monthly payments of 拢350
When you make your claim
You must claim within 3 months of your partner鈥檚 death to get the one-off payment and all 18 monthly payments.
If it鈥檚 been over 3 months but fewer than 12 months since your partner鈥檚 death, you can get the one-off payment but only some of the monthly payments.
If it鈥檚 been over 12 months but fewer than 21 months since your partner鈥檚 death, you cannot get the one-off payment but you can still get some monthly payments.
If it鈥檚 been over 21 months since your partner鈥檚 death, you usually cannot get any payments.
When you reach State Pension age
If you reach State Pension age within 18 months of your partner鈥檚 death, you may get fewer monthly payments.
If you get benefits
Bereavement Support Payment will not affect your benefits for a year after your first payment. After a year, money you have left from your first payment could affect the amount you get if you renew or make a claim for another benefit.
You must tell your benefits office (for example, ) when you start getting Bereavement Support Payment.