How much is Bereavement Support Payment?
Short answer
£3,500 up front plus £350 a month for 18 months if you have dependent children; otherwise £2,500 plus £100 a month. It is paid only to surviving spouses and civil partners, is ignored for means-tested benefits, and must normally be claimed within 12 months of the death.
Bereavement Support Payment replaced Bereavement Allowance and Widowed Parent’s Allowance for deaths on or after 6 April 2017. It is deliberately front-loaded — a lump sum to meet immediate costs, followed by 18 monthly instalments.
The two rates
- Higher rate (you were pregnant, or entitled to Child Benefit for a dependent child): a £3,500 lump sum plus 18 monthly payments of £350.
- Lower rate: a £2,500 lump sum plus 18 monthly payments of £100.
Claim within 12 months of the death. Claims outside that window are not normally accepted, and late claims lose some of the monthly instalments even where the lump sum survives — so this is a deadline to act on early, however difficult the circumstances.
Who can and cannot claim
BSP is restricted to surviving spouses and civil partners. Cohabiting partners cannot claim, whatever the length of the relationship and whether or not there are children — a restriction that has been repeatedly litigated. If you were not married or in a civil partnership, look instead at Universal Credit, Council Tax Support and other means-tested help, none of which depends on marital status.
Entitlement rests on your late partner’s National Insurance record — broadly at least 25 qualifying weeks of contributions in any one tax year — rather than on your income or savings. A death abroad does not prevent a claim if that record is satisfied and you were living in the UK or a country with a reciprocal agreement; the DWP International Pension Centre handles those cases. Where the death occurred before 6 April 2017, the older bereavement benefits may still apply — call the DWP Bereavement Service on 0800 151 2012.
A practical advantage: BSP is disregarded as income for Universal Credit, Housing Benefit and most other means-tested benefits, so it does not reduce anything else you receive. Alongside it, check a council tax discount if you now live alone, a Funeral Expenses Payment if you are on a qualifying benefit, and whether your own benefit entitlement has changed now that your household has.
Related guides
Bereavement Support Payment
Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) is a benefit for people who lose a spouse or civil partner. It provides a lump sum followed by monthly payments to help you manage the immediate financial impact of bereavement. It replaced Bereavement Allowance and Widowed Parent's Allowance for deaths occurring on or after 6 April 2017.
5 min
Funeral Expenses Payment
The Funeral Expenses Payment (FEP) is a benefit from the Social Fund that helps towards the cost of a funeral for a close relative or friend if you are on a qualifying means-tested benefit. It covers certain specified costs in full and provides up to £1,000 for other necessary expenses. The payment must be repaid from the deceased's estate if there are sufficient funds.
8 min
Universal Credit
Universal Credit is the main working-age benefit in the UK, replacing six older benefits including Jobseeker's Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, and Housing Cost support. It supports people who are on a low income, out of work, or unable to work due to illness or disability. Understanding how it works can make a significant difference to your financial situation.
12 min
Council Tax Support
Council Tax Support (also called Council Tax Reduction or CTR) is help from your local council with your council tax bill if you are on a low income. Unlike most benefits, Council Tax Support is set locally — each council runs its own scheme with its own rules and maximum reduction levels. This guide explains how it works and how to claim.
8 min
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