Bereavement Support Payment 2026: How Much, Who Qualifies, How to Claim

Quick answer

Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) is a tax-free government payment for people whose spouse or civil partner has died. It pays a lump sum followed by up to 18 monthly payments. The total value is up to £9,800 (higher rate) or £4,300 (lower rate). It does not affect any other benefits you receive. You must claim within 3 months to receive the full amount, and you must have been under 66 when your partner died. This guide covers eligibility, the rates table, the critical 3-month deadline, and how to apply.

Part 1: What is Bereavement Support Payment?

Bereavement Support Payment is a non-means-tested benefit paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). It replaced three older benefits in April 2017:

• Bereavement Allowance (52 weekly payments, means-tested by age)
• Bereavement Payment (a one-off lump sum of £2,000)
• Widowed Parent's Allowance (ongoing payments while raising children)

The new system is simpler: a single lump sum followed by fixed monthly payments for up to 18 months, with a higher rate for those with dependent children. Crucially, the payment is completely free of income tax and does not count as income for any means-tested benefit assessment.

Not the same as the old Bereavement Allowance

People who were widowed before April 2017 received the old Bereavement Allowance, which ran for only 52 weeks. Many bereaved people who know someone who received the old system assume BSP works the same way — it does not. The new system pays for 18 months, not 12, and the lump sum element is substantially larger.

If you were widowed before 6 April 2017, you received the old system and cannot switch to BSP. If you were widowed on or after 6 April 2017, you are under the new BSP system.

Part 2: Who qualifies?

You must meet all four conditions:

Condition 1: Relationship

Your partner must have been your legal spouse or civil partner at the time of death. Cohabiting (unmarried) partners are not eligible in England, Scotland, or Wales (see Part 6 for the full discussion of this exclusion).

Condition 2: Your partner's National Insurance record

Your partner must have either:

• Paid National Insurance contributions for at least 25 weeks in any single tax year; or
• Died as the result of an industrial accident or prescribed industrial disease (in which case the NI condition is waived)

The 25-week NI threshold is relatively easy to meet for most people who have been in employment — even part-time. If your partner worked for less than 25 weeks in their entire life, or was self-employed and did not pay Class 2 NI, check with DWP rather than assuming disqualification. Credits from unemployment or incapacity may count.

Condition 3: Your age

You must have been under State Pension age (66) when your partner died. If you were 66 or older at the time of death, you do not qualify for BSP. If you are approaching 66 and your partner is seriously ill, it is worth being aware of this age threshold.

Condition 4: UK residence

You must be ordinarily resident in the UK (or in certain qualifying countries with reciprocal social security arrangements) at the time of your partner's death.

Part 3: How much will you receive?

Rate table

The rate is determined at the start of the claim and does not change. If you are pregnant when your partner dies but give birth after a few months, you received the higher rate from the start and continue on it.

When are payments made?

The lump sum is paid first, usually within a few weeks of the DWP processing your claim. Monthly payments follow, paid on the same date each month. If you claim promptly (within 3 months of the death), your 18 monthly payments run from the month of death — meaning the clock starts at the death, not the claim date, up to the 3-month backdating limit.

What if my partner recently died?

The clock starts from the date of death. If you claim within 3 months, you receive:

• The full lump sum
• Any monthly payments that would have been due from the month of death (backdated up to 3 months)
• Remaining monthly payments going forward, up to the 18-month maximum

If you claim in month 4 after the death, you lose the lump sum top-up for months 1–3 and only receive payments from month 4 onwards.

Part 4: The 3-month deadline — why it matters

This is the single most important financial point in this guide. Many bereaved people are unaware of the 3-month rule and lose money as a result.

If you claim within 3 months of the date of death:

• You receive the full lump sum (£3,500 or £2,500)
• Monthly payments are backdated to the month of death
• You receive the maximum 18 months of monthly payments

If you claim in month 4–21:

• You receive the lump sum (it is not completely lost, just reduced — you receive it from the point of claim)
• You lose monthly payments for the months you did not claim
• The 18-month window effectively runs from the death, not the claim

If you claim after 21 months:

• No payments are possible at all

Why people miss the deadline

Bereavement is one of the most difficult periods anyone faces. The last thing most people think about when a partner dies is benefit claims. Common reasons for missing the 3-month window include:

• Being unaware BSP exists
• Waiting until probate is settled (there is no need to wait)
• Assuming you do not qualify because you are working or have savings
• Not realising the claim must be made by you, not by the NHS, registrar, or funeral director

If you are recently bereaved, or supporting someone who is, check BSP eligibility immediately — even before you have gathered all the documentation. A claim can be registered provisionally and evidence supplied later.

Part 5: How BSP interacts with other benefits

Universal Credit

BSP is completely disregarded as income for Universal Credit. If you receive UC, your payment is not reduced because you are receiving BSP. You can receive both simultaneously.

Housing Benefit

BSP does not count as income for Housing Benefit. Your Housing Benefit entitlement is unaffected.

Council Tax Reduction

BSP does not count as income for Council Tax Reduction. Your CTR is unaffected.

Pension Credit

BSP does not count as income for Pension Credit (though you cannot receive BSP if you were already 66 when your partner died — see the age condition).

Child Benefit

Receiving Child Benefit is one of the qualifying conditions for the higher rate of BSP. There is no interaction in the other direction — Child Benefit is not affected by BSP.

Tax

BSP is completely free of income tax. You do not need to declare it on a self-assessment return. It has no effect on your tax code.

Part 6: The cohabiting partners exclusion

This is a significant and controversial aspect of BSP. In England, Scotland, and Wales, cohabiting partners who are not married or in a civil partnership cannot claim BSP, regardless of:

• How long they lived together
• Whether they have children together
• Whether they shared finances, property, or a mortgage

Campaigners and legal advocates have argued this exclusion is unfair, particularly where children are involved. The issue reached the Supreme Court in a case concerning an equivalent Northern Ireland benefit.

The 2023 Supreme Court ruling (Northern Ireland)

In August 2023, the UK Supreme Court ruled in McLaughlin v Department for Communities (Northern Ireland) that denying BSP-equivalent payments to unmarried cohabiting parents breached Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights (prohibition of discrimination). As a result, the rules in Northern Ireland were amended to allow unmarried parents in Northern Ireland to claim.

The position in Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales) is different. The UK Government has not extended the Northern Ireland ruling to the rest of Great Britain. Cohabiting partners in England, Scotland, and Wales who are not married remain ineligible for BSP. This is an area of ongoing political debate and potential future reform, but as of 2026 no change has been made.

If you are a cohabiting partner who has been bereaved and believes this exclusion affects you, organisations including Widowed & Young (widowedandyoung.org.uk) and Citizens Advice can advise on alternative support options.

Part 7: Other bereavement support

BSP is not the only form of financial support available after bereavement. Depending on your circumstances, you may also be entitled to:

Funeral Expenses Payment

If you are on a qualifying means-tested benefit (Universal Credit, income-based JSA or ESA, Income Support, Housing Benefit, Pension Credit, Child Tax Credit, or Working Tax Credit with a disability element), you may be entitled to a Funeral Expenses Payment from the Social Fund. This covers necessary burial or cremation costs, plus up to £1,000 towards other funeral expenses. Apply within 6 months of the funeral.

Guardian's Allowance

If your child has been orphaned (both parents have died, or one has died and the other cannot be found or is in prison), you may qualify for Guardian's Allowance — currently £21.75 per week (2025/26 rate). This is in addition to Child Benefit, not instead of it.

Armed Forces Compensation Scheme

If your partner died as a result of service in the UK Armed Forces, contact the Veterans UK helpline (0808 191 4218). Separate, more generous compensation schemes apply, including the War Widow's or Widower's Pension.

State Pension inheritance

Depending on when your partner reached (or would have reached) State Pension age, you may be able to inherit some of their State Pension:

• If your partner reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 (old system): you may inherit up to 100% of their Additional State Pension (SERPS/S2P) and potentially part of their basic State Pension.
• If your partner reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016 (new system): inheritance is more limited and depends on their "protected payment" element.

Contact the Pension Service (0800 731 0469) to request a written statement of any inherited pension entitlement.

Bereavement Register

Not a benefit, but worth mentioning: the Bereavement Register (thebereavementregister.org.uk) allows you to remove your late partner's name from mailing lists and marketing databases, reducing the volume of distressing post addressed to them. Free to use.

Part 8: How to apply — step by step

Step 1: Gather your information

Before applying, have the following to hand:

• Your National Insurance number
• Your partner's National Insurance number
• The date and cause of death (death certificate)
• Your bank account details (for payment)
• Details of any dependent children (names and dates of birth)
• If pregnant: evidence of pregnancy (a letter from your midwife or GP will do)

Step 2: Choose your application method

Online: Apply at gov.uk/bereavement-support-payment. The online form is straightforward and usually takes 15–20 minutes to complete.

By phone: Call the DWP Bereavement Service: 0800 151 2012 (free, including from mobile). The line is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. An adviser will take your claim by phone and can answer questions about eligibility while you are on the call.

By post: Download and complete form BSP1 from gov.uk and post it to the address on the form. This is the slowest option — allow at least 4–6 weeks for processing, which risks missing the 3-month window. Only use this method if you have no access to the internet or phone.

Step 3: Register your claim date

Your claim is dated from when DWP receives it. If you are approaching the 3-month deadline and do not have all your paperwork, call DWP immediately to register the claim — the claim date will be recorded, and you can supply evidence later without losing the deadline.

Step 4: Await the decision

DWP typically processes BSP claims within 2–4 weeks. If your claim is straightforward, the decision and first payment often arrive sooner. If DWP needs more information they will write to you — respond promptly to avoid delays.

Step 5: If you are refused

You have the right to challenge a BSP refusal. Ask DWP for a mandatory reconsideration within one month of the decision. If you are still refused, you can appeal to an independent tribunal (free). Citizens Advice or a welfare rights adviser can help you prepare.

Frequently asked questions

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