How to claim the DWP Bereavement Support Payment of up to £3,500 after losing a loved one

Those mourning the loss of a partner could be entitled to receive up to £3,500.

The Bereavement Support Payment is a financial aid scheme for those who have lost a spouse or partner. It has superseded several similar benefits, including the Widowed Parent's Allowance and the Bereavement Allowance (formerly known as the Widows' Pension).

It's crucial to understand that the Bereavement Support Payment is not means-tested, meaning your income and savings will not impact the amount you could potentially receive.

Eligibility Criteria

In order to be considered eligible for the payment, the following must have applied when your partner passed away:

• under State Pension age
• living in the UK or a country that pays bereavement benefits
• married to your partner, in a civil partnership with them, or living with them as if you were married

Meanwhile, your partner must also have had one of the following apply to them:

• paid a certain amount of Class 1 or Class 2 National Insurance contributions in any one tax year since 6 April 1975
• died because of an accident at work or a disease caused by work

If you believe you are eligible for the payment, you must make a claim within 21 months of your partner's death. However, if that time window has passed, you could still claim if the cause of death was only recently confirmed.

How much you'll get

The amount of money you receive will vary depending on your relationship to the person who died, when you make your claim, and when you will reach State Pension age.

If you were married or in a civil partnership

You can receive the higher rate if you were pregnant, receiving child benefit for a child who lived with you, or were told you you were entitled to child benefit. The higher rate is:

• a one-off payment of £3,500
• 18 monthly payments of £350

Otherwise, you will get the lower rate:

• a one-off payment of £2,500
• 18 monthly payments of £100

If you were living with your partner as if you were married

• a one-off payment of £3,500
• 18 monthly payments of £350

In order to get the one-off payment and all 18 monthly payments, you must make a claim within three months of your partner's death. If a claim is made after three months but before 1 2months, you will get the one-off payment and some of the monthly payment.

If both deadline's are passed, you will only be eligible for some of the monthly payments. Furthermore, if you reach State Pension age within 18 months of your partner's death, you may get fewer monthly payments.

Backdate payments

You may also be able to backdate the payment if your partner died after April 5, 2019 and if the following apply:

• when your partner died, you were living together as if you were married
• you were under State Pension age on 30 August 2018
• You were either pregnant or had a child living with you when your partner died
• you got Child Benefit for that child between when your partner died and when you make your claim
• you’ve been told by the Child Benefit Office that you were entitled to Child Benefit for that child between when your partner died and when you make your claim

Applications for a backpayment must be made before November 9, 2024.

How to claim Bereavement Support Payment

You can make a claim either online, by telephone, or through the post. Before making any kind of application, you will need the following:

• your National Insurance number
• your bank or building society account details
• the date your partner died
• your partner’s National Insurance number

Online

Applications can be made through the government website here.

Telephone

You can contact the Bereavement Service helpline on 0800 151 2012.

Post

You can receive a claim form online or get one from the Bereavement Service helpline. After it's filled in, you can send the form to the address included on it.