Reminder for bereaved parents to check eligibility for financial support
Bereaved parents who lost their partner between 9 April 2001 and 8 February 2023 may be eligible for a backdated government payment even if they no longer have dependent children.
Bereaved parents who lost their partner between 9 April 2001 and 8 February 2023 may be eligible for a backdated government payment even if they no longer have dependent children.
The Government extended eligibility for Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) and Widowed Parent’s Allowance (WPA) to cohabiting parents with dependent children in February. These benefits were previously only available to bereaved parents who were married or in a civil partnership.
The payments are designed to help with the financial impact of losing a partner and can be backdated to 30 August 2018. Anyone who had dependent children when they lost their cohabiting partner should check GOV.UK for more information.
DWP Minister Viscount Younger of Leckie said:
This change will help provide many more bereaved families with children access to the financial support they need through a profoundly difficult time.
I would urge anyone who thinks they may be eligible to claim as soon as possible so that they can ensure that they benefit from these backdated payments.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) opened a 12-month window for cohabiting parents to backdate their claims. Parents whose partner died before 9 February 2023 have until the end of 8 February 2024 to do so. After this, it will not be possible to claim WPA and they will not get their full entitlement to backdated BSP.
Parents will be eligible for different benefits depending on the date their partner died. If they died before 6 April 2017, they would need to claim WPA. If they died on or after 6 April 2017, they would need to claim BSP, which has replaced WPA.
Payments can only be backdated to 30 August 2018, even if a partner died before this date.
Alison Penny MBE, Director of the Childhood Bereavement Network said:
Time is ticking on for the thousands of families that could be eligible for a back-dated payment but haven’t yet claimed. It’s crucial that we find them so they can make a decision about putting in a claim before the window closes and they miss out.
We’re urging friends, families and support organisations to spread the word. Even if someone was bereaved a long time ago, it’s worth exploring whether they are eligible for a back payment.
BSP claims can be made online, over the phone or through a paper application form. WPA claims are only processed by paper forms. These can be downloaded from the GOV.UK website or requested via the Bereavement Service helpline: 0800 151 2012.
Information on BSP, including eligibility criteria, can be found at www.gov.uk/bereavement-support-payment whilst details and eligibility criteria for WPA can be found at www.gov.uk/widowed-parents-allowance
Further bereavement help and support can also be found at: www.gov.uk/after-a-death/bereavement-help-and-support
Further information
- Following approval of the Bereavement Benefits (Remedial) Order 2023 by Parliament, this law change took effect from 9 February 2023, and the Order has retrospective effect to 30 August 2018.
- Cohabiting bereaved parents eligible for BSP who claim after the backdating cut-off of 8 February 2024 could still receive some monthly payments, but fewer than they would have originally been entitled to. If parents claim after 8 November 2024, they will not receive any payments.
- If parents claim for WPA after 8 February 2024, they will not receive any payments because the 12-month window to claim will have ended.
- Those who believe they are eligible for bereavement benefits in Northern Ireland should apply via the Department for Communities (DfC):
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