Bereavement Allowance
1. Overview
You might be able to claim Bereavement Allowance if you’re a widow, widower or surviving civil partner aged between 45 and State Pension age.
You can get it for up to 52 weeks from the date your husband, wife or civil partner died.
Bereavement Allowance used to be known as Widow's Pension.
2. What you'll get
The amount you get depends on:
- the overall level of your partner or civil partner’s National Insurance contributions
- your age at the time of his or her death
| Your age at your partner or civil partner’s death | Maximum weekly rate |
|---|---|
| 45 years old | £33.36 |
| 46 years old | £41.14 |
| 47 years old | £48.93 |
| 48 years old | £56.71 |
| 49 years old | £64.50 |
| 50 years old | £72.28 |
| 51 years old | £80.06 |
| 52 years old | £87.85 |
| 53 years old | £95.63 |
| 54 years old | £103.42 |
| 55 years old to State Pension age | £111.20 |
The benefit cap limits the amount of benefit that most people aged 16 to 64 can get. Some individual benefits aren't affected, but it may affect the total amount of benefit you get.
3. Eligibility
You may get Bereavement Allowance if you meet all of the criteria:
- you were 45 or over when your husband, wife or civil partner died
- you’re under State Pension age
- your late husband, wife or civil partner paid National Insurance contributions, or they died as a result of an industrial accident or disease
You won’t get Bereavement Allowance if you:
- are bringing up children - you can claim Widowed Parent’s Allowance instead
- remarry or form a new civil partnership
- live with another person as if you’re married or in a civil partnership
- are in prison
- were over State Pension age when you were widowed or became a surviving civil partner - you may be able to get extra State Pension
Use a benefits calculator to check your eligibility.
If you live abroad
Contact the International Pension Centre if you’ve moved abroad and want to find out if you’re eligible for Bereavement Allowance.
International Pension Centre
Telephone: +44 (0)191 21 87608
Find out about call charges
Department for Work and Pensions
Bereavement and widows' benefits
International Pension Centre
Tyneview Park
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NE98 1BA
You must include your full name, date of birth and National Insurance number if you know it.
4. How to claim
Fill in a claim form
Download a Bereavement Benefits pack (form BB1) or order it over the telephone from your local Jobcentre Plus. The pack has help notes on how to fill in the claim form.
Take the completed form to your local Jobcentre Plus or send it to:
Dover Benefit Centre
Post Handling Site B
Wolverhampton
WV99 1LA
Claims can only be backdated 3 months and are dated when the office gets them.
Apply by phone
Contact the Bereavement Service to make a claim by telephone.
Bereavement Service helpline
Telephone: 0845 606 0265
Welsh language: 0845 606 0275
Textphone: 0845 606 0285
Welsh language: 0845 606 0295
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
5. Further information
Effect on other benefits
Once you get Bereavement Allowance, payments may change if you’re getting any of:
- Income Support
- Incapacity Benefit
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
The Jobcentre Plus office that deals with your claim will explain how this works.
What to do if your circumstances change
You must tell the office that deals with your payments if you:
- remarry
- form a new civil partnership
- start living with someone as if you’re married or in a civil partnership