Pillar Guide · Updated July 2026

Widowed Parent's Allowance: A Complete UK Guide for 2026/27

Widowed Parent's Allowance (WPA) was a weekly benefit paid to some widowed parents whose spouse or civil partner died, based on the deceased's National Insurance record. It was closed to new claims from April 2017 and replaced by Bereavement Support Payment, but people already receiving it can continue to be paid. This guide explains who can still get WPA, how the amount is worked out, and how it fits alongside Bereavement Support Payment and other benefits.

Last updated: 3 July 2026Last reviewed: 3 July 2026How we verify

What Widowed Parent's Allowance Is

Widowed Parent's Allowance was a weekly payment for widowed parents bringing up a child, paid using the deceased spouse's or civil partner's National Insurance contributions record. It was designed to provide ongoing income support while the surviving parent was still responsible for a dependent child or was pregnant with the deceased's child, unlike the lump-sum-based Bereavement Support Payment that replaced it.

Who Can Still Receive It

New claims for Widowed Parent's Allowance closed on 6 April 2017. Since then, bereaved parents whose spouse or civil partner died on or after that date claim Bereavement Support Payment instead. However, people whose entitlement began before 6 April 2017 can continue to receive WPA for as long as they meet the qualifying conditions, most commonly that they are still entitled to Child Benefit for a child of the deceased.

National Insurance Conditions

Entitlement to WPA depended on the deceased partner having paid enough National Insurance contributions, broadly similar to the contribution conditions that applied for the old basic State Pension. If the record fell short, the amount could be reduced pro rata rather than paid in full, and in some cases no award was made at all.

How Much It Pays

The amount of Widowed Parent's Allowance depends on the deceased's National Insurance record and, in some cases, any Additional State Pension they had built up, so payments vary between claimants rather than being a single flat weekly rate. Existing awards are uprated each April in the same way as other contributory benefits.

How It Differs from Bereavement Support Payment

Bereavement Support Payment, which replaced WPA for deaths on or after 6 April 2017, pays a higher initial lump sum followed by up to 18 monthly instalments, and stops after that fixed period regardless of whether the claimant still has dependent children. WPA, by contrast, could continue being paid indefinitely for as long as the surviving parent remained entitled to Child Benefit, meaning long-standing WPA claimants have historically received support for far longer than an equivalent BSP claim would run.

Effect on Other Benefits

Widowed Parent's Allowance counts as taxable income and is taken into account in full when working out entitlement to means-tested benefits such as Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Housing Benefit, which can significantly reduce or remove entitlement to those benefits. It can also affect tax credits for those still on the legacy system, so bereaved parents should check how a WPA award interacts with any other support they receive.

When Payments Stop

WPA stops when the recipient is no longer entitled to Child Benefit for the deceased's child (typically once the child turns 16 to 20 depending on their education status), if the recipient remarries, forms a new civil partnership, or starts living with a new partner as a couple, or when the recipient reaches State Pension age, at which point they move onto their own State Pension entitlement instead.

How to Claim or Query an Existing Award

Because new claims are no longer accepted, anyone contacting the Department for Work and Pensions about Widowed Parent's Allowance today is usually querying an existing award, reporting a change of circumstances, or checking why a claim was refused around the 2017 changeover. The Bereavement Service helpline handles WPA queries alongside new Bereavement Support Payment claims and can confirm which benefit applies to a particular bereavement date.

Official References

FAQs

Can I still claim Widowed Parent's Allowance in 2026?

No. New claims closed on 6 April 2017. If your spouse or civil partner died on or after that date, you claim Bereavement Support Payment instead. If you were already receiving WPA before the change, you can generally continue to be paid it for as long as you meet the qualifying conditions.

Is Widowed Parent's Allowance taxable?

Yes, Widowed Parent's Allowance counts as taxable income and must be declared to HMRC. It is usually paid without tax deducted at source, so recipients with other income may need to account for tax on it through PAYE coding or Self Assessment.

Does Widowed Parent's Allowance affect Universal Credit?

Yes. WPA is treated as unearned income for Universal Credit purposes and is deducted pound for pound from the maximum Universal Credit award, which can significantly reduce or remove entitlement depending on the size of the WPA payment.

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What happens to my Widowed Parent's Allowance if I remarry?

Widowed Parent's Allowance stops if you remarry, form a new civil partnership, or start living with a new partner as though you were married or in a civil partnership. You must report this change to the Department for Work and Pensions promptly.

How is the amount of Widowed Parent's Allowance worked out?

The weekly rate depends on the deceased partner's National Insurance contribution record and any Additional State Pension entitlement they had accrued, so it is calculated individually rather than paid at one flat rate for everyone.

Does Widowed Parent's Allowance stop when my child turns 18?

It stops when you are no longer entitled to Child Benefit for the child, which is usually when they turn 16, or up to 20 if they stay in approved full-time non-advanced education or certain training.

What replaces Widowed Parent's Allowance when I reach State Pension age?

When you reach State Pension age, Widowed Parent's Allowance ends and you claim your own State Pension instead, which may take into account any inherited entitlement from your late spouse or civil partner depending on the rules in force.

Can I get Widowed Parent's Allowance and Bereavement Support Payment together?

No. You can only receive one or the other. Which one applies depends on the date your spouse or civil partner died: WPA-based rules for deaths before 6 April 2017, and Bereavement Support Payment for deaths on or after that date.

Do I need to tell HMRC or DWP if my income changes while getting Widowed Parent's Allowance?

Yes. You should report changes such as a new job, a pay rise, or a change of address, since these can affect tax owed on the allowance or entitlement to other means-tested benefits paid alongside it.

Can Widowed Parent's Allowance be backdated if I only found out about it late?

Existing WPA awards can sometimes be backdated for a limited period if you can show good reason for the delay, but since new claims closed in April 2017 this only applies to people who were already entitled under the old rules, not to new bereavements.

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About the author

Emma Clarke

UK Tax Writer

Emma Clarke has been writing about UK personal tax since 2018, with a particular focus on Self Assessment, PAYE coding and the practical mechanics of how HMRC actually applies the rules to ordinary salaries. Her work concentrates on translating the dense language of HMRC manuals and Finance Act schedules into worked examples that show, pound by pound, how income tax and National Insurance reduce a gross salary to the figure that lands in a UK bank account. Emma covers the full PAYE lifecycle: tax codes (1257L, BR, K codes, emergency codes), the Marriage Allowance, the High Income Child Benefit Charge, salary sacrifice arrangements and their effect on pensionable pay, the Apprenticeship Levy, and the differences between the rUK and Scottish income-tax regimes. She is particularly interested in the edge cases that catch PAYE employees out — the £100,000 personal-allowance taper, the 60% effective marginal rate it creates, and the interaction between student-loan plans and pension contributions. Every figure in Emma's articles is verified against the current HMRC rates pages and worked through a Self Assessment calculation by hand before publication. She writes to CalcHub's editorial standards: primary-source citations, plain English, no promotional language, and clear "this is general information, not financial advice" disclaimers where appropriate.

Personal-finance writer since 2018
UK tax specialism — PAYE, Self Assessment, National Insurance
Writes to CalcHub editorial standards (primary-source citation, annual review)

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Disclaimer: Bereavement benefit rules and rates can change and depend on individual circumstances and National Insurance records. This guide is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Always check the current position at gov.uk or seek independent professional advice for your specific situation.