Bereavement Support Allowance (BSP) provides eligible households with a lump sum of up to £3,500, followed by 18 monthly payments of £350. The benefit is paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) following the death of a spouse or partner.
Two payment rates explained
BSP is paid at two different rates. Claimants responsible for a child under the age of 20 receive the full £3,500 lump sum, followed by £350 a month for 18 months. Those not responsible for a child under 20 receive £2,500, followed by 18 monthly payments of £100.
Unlike some inheritance tax arrangements, BSP can also be claimed by unmarried couples. Age UK explains: “If you have a child or children and were living with your partner when they died, then you can claim BSP. Cohabiting, unmarried partners can also claim BSP provided the claimant has a child or children.”
Eligibility and how to claim
BSP is payable to anyone eligible whose partner died after April 6, 2017. Before that date, the previous benefit, Widowed Parent’s Allowance, was in place instead.
According to Age UK, you can claim BSP if your spouse, civil partner or cohabiting partner has died, you were under State Pension age when they died, your partner paid National Insurance contributions for at least 25 weeks in any single tax year since 1975, and you were living in the UK at the time of the death (or another country that pays bereavement benefits).
If your partner died due to a workplace accident or illness caused by work, you may still be able to claim BSP, even if they had not made the necessary National Insurance contributions.
Deadlines and application process
The government says you need to make a claim within 21 months of your partner’s death, although you can still claim later than that in some circumstances, for example if the cause of death was only recently confirmed, such as in a coroner’s court.
To receive the full amount, you need to make a claim within three months of your partner’s death. The benefit is not means tested, so it ignores any other savings or income. To apply, go to the Bereavement Service Helpline or call 0800 1512012.
