Bereavement Payment

The Bereavement Payment has now been officially replaced by Bereavement Support Payment. For financial support in cases of bereavement you will need to apply to the Bereavement Support Payment scheme.

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The loss of a partner can often make things difficult financially. To help you during this challenging time, the UK government offers a one-time, tax-free payment of £2,000.

Am I eligible for Bereavement Payment?

If you have recently lost your husband, wife or civil partner, you may be entitled to receive a Bereavement Payment if when they died, you were either:

• under the State Pension age when they passed away
• over the State Pension age and not entitled to a State Pension due to their National Insurance contributions when they passed away

You could also be entitled to this sum if your partner either:

• paid enough National Insurance contributions to qualify
• died as the result of an industrial accident or disease

Be aware that even if the above criteria mean you could be eligible to receive this sum, you will not be considered if any of the following are true:

• you were divorced from your partner when they passed away
• you are living with someone as they were a husband, wife or civil partner
• you are in prison

Will the Bereavement Payment affect my other benefits?

Receiving this financial support from the government can affect the following benefits if you are already receiving them:

• Income Support
• Housing Benefit
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Universal Credit

For more information on how this will affect you, contact your local Jobcentre Plus adviser.

What do I do now?

You can only get the Bereavement Payment within 52 weeks of your partner passing away. To get this support, download the Bereavement Benefits Pack (form BB1) or order it over the phone from your local Jobcentre Plus. Once completed, take the form to your local Jobcentre Plus or send it to:

Dover Benefit Centre
Post Handling Site B
Wolverhampton
WV99 1LA