Everything you need to know about BSP — eligibility, rates, the 3-month deadline, and how to claim.
This guide is part of ProbateHelp's Support & Benefits guide cluster. Estimated reading time: 10 min.
This guide explains Bereavement Support Payment for surviving spouses and civil partners, including eligibility, claim timing, payment structure and how it fits with other bereavement benefits.
It connects DWP notification, funeral-cost support, council tax, Pension Credit and EstateManager record keeping so families can track benefit claims alongside the practical probate tasks.
Yes — you can still claim up to 21 months after the death, but you will receive fewer payments. If you claim between 3 and 12 months after the death, you get the lump sum but only the monthly payments remaining from the 18-month period. If you claim between 12 and 21 months, you lose the lump sum entirely and only receive some monthly payments. Contact the DWP Bereavement Service helpline as soon as possible — do not delay further.
BSP monthly payments are not counted as income for Universal Credit and do not affect your UC entitlement. However, any amount of the lump sum payment that you still have after 12 months will be counted as capital (savings) for UC purposes. If this takes your total savings above the UC capital limit (£16,000), it could reduce or stop your UC. This is worth planning for if you receive the lump sum.
No. BSP is entirely non-taxable. Both the lump sum and the monthly payments are free of Income Tax. You do not need to declare BSP on a Self Assessment tax return.
Yes — claim anyway. The DWP Bereavement Service will check your partner's National Insurance record and let you know whether the contributions condition is met. The only way to find out is to make a claim. There is no penalty for claiming if it turns out you are not eligible.
Yes. BSP is not means-tested, which means your income and savings do not affect your eligibility or the amount you receive. You can be in full-time employment and still receive the full amount.
If your partner died because of an accident at work or a disease caused by work, the National Insurance contributions condition does not apply. You may still be eligible for BSP even if your partner had not paid enough NI contributions. Contact the DWP Bereavement Service helpline to discuss your circumstances.
BSP replaced Widowed Parent's Allowance (WPA) for deaths on or after 6 April 2017. If you already get WPA, your payments continue while you remain eligible. GOV.UK currently lists the maximum WPA as £156.65 a week. You do not need to switch to BSP.
BSP does not count as a qualifying benefit for Funeral Expenses Payment. To claim Funeral Expenses Payment, you need to be receiving a qualifying means-tested benefit such as Universal Credit, Income Support, or Pension Credit. Receiving BSP alone does not make you eligible.
BSP is not affected by remarriage or entering a new relationship during the 18-month payment period. You continue to receive your payments regardless of your relationship status. This is one of the ways BSP differs from the old Bereavement Allowance, which stopped on remarriage.