Bereavement Support Payment – Claim before 8 February 2024

Did you know that if you’ve experienced the loss of a spouse or civil partner, you may be able to claim Bereavement Support Payment? Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) is designed to provide some financial support and ease the worry at a time of grief and distress.

BSP is a benefit that you may be able to claim if your spouse, civil partner or cohabiting partner (provided you have a child or children) died after 6 April 2017. This benefit isn’t means-tested, so you can make a claim regardless of your income or whether you’re in work, but there are certain eligibility criteria. To be eligible, the claimant must be under State Pension age, and the partner must have paid National Insurance contributions.

On 9 February 2023, the law changed, extending BSP to cohabiting partners (provided the claimant has a child or children). This law also applies to you if you could’ve claimed Widowed Parent’s Allowance, which was payable to bereaved parents whose partner died before 6 April 2017. The change doesn’t apply to bereaved partners who don’t have children.

If your partner died before 9 February 2023, you can make a claim now and you’ll be paid some or all of the benefit that you would’ve received.

Make sure that you make your claim before 8 February 2024 so that you don’t lose any benefit.

Further information is available on the Government’s website. Our advisors will be able to talk this through with you if you prefer, just call 0333 006 9711.