Bereavement Benefits

Bereavement Allowance

Bereavement Allowance is a weekly benefit paid for up to 52 weeks following the death of a husband, wife or civil partner.
You need to be over the age of 45 and under the State Pension age to claim and not be bringing up children.
Your late husband, wife or civil partner must have paid National Insurance contributions or have died as the result of an industrial accident or disease.

You cannot claim Bereavement Allowance if you were not married or in a civil partnership with the deceased at the time of their death.

If you are bringing up children, you may be able to claim Widowed Parent's Allowance.

Widowed Parent's Allowance

Widowed Parent's Allowance is a bereavement benefit for widowed husbands, wives or civil partners who are under state pension age and are bringing up a child or young person for whom they receive Child Benefit.
Your late husband, wife or civil partner must have paid National Insurance contributions or have died as the result of an industrial accident or disease.

You cannot claim Widowed Parent's Allowance if you were not married or in a civil partnership with the deceased at the time of their death, if you have remarried or formed a new civil partnership, or if you are living with a partner.

Bereavement Payment

A Bereavement Payment is a one-off tax-free lump sum that you may be able to get if your wife, husband or civil partner has died.
You may be able to claim Bereavement Payment if your husband, wife or civil partner had paid their National Insurance contributions or their death was caused by their job.
The award also depends on your age, or the age of your wife, husband or civil partner when they died.

How to Apply

You can use one form to apply for Bereavement Allowance, Widowed Parent's Allowance and Bereavement Payment. Please contact your Jobcentre Plus and ask for form BB1 (Bereavement Benefits), or download the form here. Opens in a new window