Bereavement allowance and other payments
Bereavement allowance
This benefit is paid to you for up to 52 weeks if your spouse or civil partner dies and you are 45 or over but under pensionable age when they die. It is based on your late partner's National Insurance contributions. If you have dependent children you should claim widowed parent's allowance.
Bereavement payment
This is a one-off lump sum payment paid if you are under pensionable age and your spouse or civil partner dies. It is based on your late partner's National Insurance contributions.
Funeral expenses payment
Funeral expenses payments are grants given to help pay for a funeral; you do not have to pay them back. In order to make a claim, you or your partner must be receiving one of the following benefits: income support, pension credit, income-based jobseeker's allowance, housing benefit, council tax benefit, working tax credit that has a disability or severe disability element in it, or child tax credit in excess of the basic family element.
Apply on form SF200 from your local Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or Jobcentre Plus office.
Widow's benefit
Bereavement benefits replaced widow's benefits for new claimants from April 2001, but existing claimants continued to get widow's pension.
Widowed parent's allowance
A weekly benefit introduced in April 2001, paid to widows or widowers under pensionable age with dependent children, based on their late spouse's National Insurance contributions.
