Eligibility

Widowed Parent’s Allowance (WPA) has been replaced by Bereavement Support Payment. If you already get WPA, your payments will continue until you are no longer eligible.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

You can only make a new claim for WPA if your partner died before 6 April 2017. When they died, you and your partner must have either been:

  • married or in a civil partnership
  • living together as though you were married or in a civil partnership

If you were married or in a civil partnership, your partner must also have only recently been declared dead. You’ll need to confirm the cause of death.

All the following must also apply:

You may also claim WPA if you were pregnant when your partner died, or you were pregnant after fertility treatment when your partner died.

When you cannot claim WPA

You cannot claim WPA if you:

  • were divorced or had ended your civil partnership when your partner died
  • were no longer living with your partner when they died
  • have remarried or formed a new civil partnership
  • are living with another person as if you’re married or in a civil partnership with them
  • were over State Pension age when your partner died – you may be able to get extra State Pension
  • are in prison