Widowed Parent's Allowance - Can I get Widowed Parent's Allowance?
Widowed Parent's Allowance is a benefit for people who were bereaved before 6 April 2017 and have a dependent child.
- Last reviewed 19 July 2023
Can I get Widowed Parent's Allowance?
If your husband, wife, civil partner or cohabiting partner died before 6 April 2017, you may be able to get Widowed Parent's Allowance.
If your spouse, civil partner or cohabiting partner died on or after 6 April 2017, you may be able to claim Bereavement Support Payment instead.
Married or in a registered civil partnership
You may be able to get Widowed Parent's Allowance, if:
- You're under State Pension age
- You're entitled to Child Benefit
- Your partner paid national insurance contributions or if they died because of an industrial injury, their national insurance contributions might not matter.
You cannot get Widowed Parent’s Allowance if you were divorced or if your civil partnership was dissolved or if you were living with someone else when your husband, wife or civil partner died.
Living together as though you were married (Cohabiting partnership)
If you were co-habiting with someone and had children together but weren’t married (cohabiting partnership), the law has changed and you can get Widowed Parent’s Allowance now.
You may be able to get Widowed Parent’s Allowance, if:
- You continued to meet the eligibility criteria on 30 August 2018 and:
- You were under State Pension age
- You were entitled to Child Benefit
- You were living with your partner as though you were married
- Your partner paid national insurance contributions or if they died because of an industrial injury, their national insurance contributions might not matter.
You cannot get Widowed Parent’s Allowance if you were no longer living with your partner or if you were living with someone else when your partner died.
Widowed Parent’s Allowance is paid until you stop getting Child Benefit.
Updated: February 2023
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