What are Bereavement Benefits?
• They are payments for widows, widowers or civil partners in the first year after the death of their husband, wife or civil partner or while they are bringing up children. • One bereavement benefit is called Bereavement Payment. This is a one-off payment of £2,000. • If you have got dependent children, there is also a Widowed Parent’s Allowance. It is paid until you stop getting Child Benefit. • If you don’t have dependent children, you can get Bereavement Allowance. It is paid for 52 weeks from your husband, wife or civil partner’s death. • Bereavement Benefits depend on the National Insurance contributions of your husband, wife or civil partner. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t paid National Insurance contributions yourself. Also if your husband, wife or civil partner died because of an industrial injury, their National Insurance contributions might not matter. • The amount you get isn’t affected by other income or savings. You must pay tax on Widowed Parent’s Allowance and Bereavem
