Bereavement Support Payment - How much Bereavement Support Payment will I get?

How much Bereavement Support Payment will I get?

There are two rates of Bereavement Support Payment: A higher rate and a standard rate. You receive one or the other.

Higher Rate Bereavement Support Payment

You are entitled to the higher rate:

• if you were pregnant at the time your late spouse or civil partner or cohabiting partner died; or 
• you were entitled to Child Benefit at the time your late spouse, civil partner or cohabiting partner died; or
• since your spouse, civil partner or cohabiting partner died, you became entitled to Child Benefit for a child or young person who was living with you or your late spouse or civil partner or cohabiting partner immediately before they died.

If you are entitled to the higher rate, you will receive an initial lump sum of £3,500 followed by up to 18 monthly payments of £350. 

Surviving cohabiting partners will get:

• Partial payment up to 18 months and no initial lump sum if your cohabiting partner died before 30 August 2018 and you make a claim before February 2024
• Initial lump sum followed by up to 18 monthly payments if your cohabiting partner died after 30 August 2018 and you make a claim before February 2024
• Initial lump sum followed by up to 18 monthly payments if your cohabiting partner died after 9 February 2023 and you make a claim within the time limits. See 'When will my Bereavement Support Payment claim begin?' section.

For example, if your cohabiting partner died on 17 July 2019 and you make a claim on 18 August 2023, you will be eligible for up to 18 months of Bereavement Support Payment.

Standard Rate Bereavement Support Payment

If you are a widow, widower or surviving civil partner and not entitled to the higher rate, you receive the standard rate instead. Cohabiting partners aren't entitled to the standard rate. 

The standard rate is an initial lump-sum payment of £2,500 followed by up to 18 monthly instalments of £100.

How much Bereavement Support Payment you could get depends on when you claim Bereavement Support Payment.

If you claim within three months of your husband, wife or civil partner's death, your claim will be backdated to the date of the death. If you claim more than three month's after the death, your claim will be backdated by three months. However, this might mean you miss out on some entitlement. For example, someone who claims six months after their husband dies will only get a total of 15 months Bereavement Support Payment. 

To get the initial lump sum, you have to claim within 12 months of your husband, wife, civil partner's death. 

Bereavement Support Payment can be paid for up to 18 months from your husband, wife, civil partner or cohabiting partner's death but if you reach State Pension age before the end of the 18 months, you will no longer qualify. 

Bereavement Support Payment and Other Benefits

Bereavement Support Payment is ignored as income for working out entitlement to other benefits. If you claim as a cohabiting partner and your partner died before 9 February 2023, any Bereavement Support Payment you receive will be treated as capital and disregarded for a year.

Benefit Cap

Bereavement Support Payment will not be included as income for the Benefit Cap.

Updated: February 2023