In this guide
When a partner dies, the last thing most people think about is claiming a government benefit. But Bereavement Support Payment is one entitlement worth checking quickly because the claim date affects how much you receive.
Quick answer
Bereavement Support Payment is a tax-free DWP benefit for surviving partners who were under State Pension age when their partner died. It is not means-tested. You usually need to claim within 3 months to get the full lump sum and all 18 monthly payments, and usually within 21 months to receive any payment at all. The higher rate is £3,500 plus 18 monthly payments of £350; the lower rate is £2,500 plus 18 monthly payments of £100. If you were already over State Pension age when your partner died, check the Pension Credit after bereavement guide instead.
At a glance
£3,500
Higher rate lump sum
£350 × 18
Higher rate monthly
£2,500
Lower rate lump sum
£100 × 18
Lower rate monthly
What Bereavement Support Payment is
Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) is a tax-free benefit paid by the Department for Work and Pensions to people whose spouse, civil partner, or cohabiting partner has died. It replaced three older benefits — Bereavement Allowance, Widowed Parent's Allowance, and the Bereavement Payment — for deaths on or after 6 April 2017.
BSP is not means-tested. Your income, savings, and employment status have no bearing on whether you can claim or how much you receive. Eligibility also depends on your age, relationship, the relevant Child Benefit or pregnancy conditions and your partner's National Insurance record. Claim timing affects the amount paid.
The benefit is paid as a one-off lump sum followed by up to 18 monthly payments. The total value is up to £9,800 at the higher rate (£3,500 + 18 × £350) or up to £4,300 at the lower rate (£2,500 + 18 × £100).
Who is eligible
To be eligible for BSP, all of the following must apply to you:
You were under State Pension age when your partner died
BSP is only available to people who were below State Pension age at the time of the death. If you had already reached State Pension age, you cannot claim BSP — but you may be entitled to Pension Credit or other benefits.
You were living in the UK (or a qualifying country)
You must have been living in the UK when your partner died, or in a country that pays UK bereavement benefits.
You met the relationship and relevant Child Benefit or pregnancy conditions
Married couples and civil partners do not need children to meet the relationship condition. Cohabiting partners must meet the relevant Child Benefit or pregnancy conditions below; having a child alone is not enough. Other BSP conditions also apply.
Your partner paid enough National Insurance contributions
Your partner must usually have paid enough Class 1 or Class 2 National Insurance contributions in any one tax year since 6 April 1975. If you are unsure, claim anyway — DWP will check the NI record for you.
You can still claim if:
- You are working or in full-time employment
- You have significant savings
- You are not sure if your partner paid enough NI
- Your partner died due to a work accident or occupational disease
- You are not currently claiming any other benefits
You cannot claim if:
- You had reached State Pension age when your partner died
- You are in prison
- Your partner died before 6 April 2017 (different rules apply)
- You were cohabiting with no children and not pregnant
- It has usually been more than 21 months since the death, unless the cause of death was only recently confirmed
Unmarried and cohabiting partners
The law changed in February 2023 to extend BSP eligibility to cohabiting (unmarried) partners. However, the rules are more restrictive than for married couples.
If you were living with your partner as if you were married but were not legally married or in a civil partnership, the current GOV.UK conditions below apply unless you are seeking a backdated payment. At the time of the death, at least one of the following applied:
- You were receiving Child Benefit for a child living with you
- You had been told by the Child Benefit Office that you were entitled to Child Benefit for a child living with you (even if you chose not to receive it)
- You were pregnant when your partner died
If your partner was receiving or entitled to Child Benefit instead, you will need to make a new claim for Child Benefit in your own name before you can apply for BSP. Contact the Child Benefit Office on 0300 200 3100 to do this.
Having a dependent child alone is not enough. A valid Child Benefit claim or confirmed entitlement matters; choosing not to receive payments after confirmation is different from never making a claim. This distinction was confirmed in a retrospective cohabitant case, Buckley [2026] UKUT 291 (AAC). Ask the Bereavement Service about uncertain or backdated cases; do not assume the current-claim checklist decides every historical claim.
Check GOV.UK eligibility guidance before applying. A cohabiting survivor who meets neither the relevant Child Benefit conditions nor the pregnancy condition will not normally qualify, however long the relationship lasted. Other benefits may still be available.
How much you can get
There are two rates of BSP. For married couples and civil partners, the higher rate depends on the Child Benefit or pregnancy conditions below. Eligible cohabiting partners receive the higher rate. Having a dependent child alone does not establish entitlement. See the GOV.UK rate guidance.
| Rate | Who qualifies | Lump sum | Monthly payment | Total (if claimed within 3 months) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Higher rate | For a spouse or civil partner: you were receiving Child Benefit for a child living with you, the Child Benefit Office had confirmed your entitlement, or you were pregnant when your partner died. Eligible cohabiting partners also receive this rate. | £3,500 | £350 × 18 months | £9,800 |
| Lower rate | You were married or in a civil partnership and do not meet the higher-rate conditions | £2,500 | £100 × 18 months | £4,300 |
Payments are made directly into your bank, building society, or credit union account. The lump sum is paid first, followed by monthly payments for up to 18 months. If you reach State Pension age within 18 months of the death, your monthly payments will stop at that point.
Cohabiting partners only qualify for the higher rate
Cohabiting partners who meet the BSP eligibility conditions receive the higher rate. The lower rate is available only to eligible spouses and civil partners who do not meet the higher-rate conditions.
The 3-month deadline — and what happens if you miss it
The 3-month deadline is the most important thing to understand about BSP. Claiming late does not disqualify you — but it permanently reduces the amount you receive. The payments you miss cannot be recovered.
| When you claim | Lump sum | Monthly payments |
|---|---|---|
| Within 3 months of death | Full lump sum (£3,500 or £2,500) | All 18 monthly payments |
| 3–12 months after death | Full lump sum (£3,500 or £2,500) | Only the remaining payments from the 18-month period (e.g., claim at month 6 = 12 remaining payments) |
| 12–21 months after death | No lump sum | Only the remaining payments from the 18-month period |
| Over 21 months after death | No lump sum | No payments (unless cause of death was recently confirmed) |
Do not wait until probate is complete
BSP is a personal benefit for the surviving spouse or partner — it is not part of the estate and has nothing to do with probate. You can and should claim BSP as soon as possible after the death, regardless of where the probate process is. Waiting for probate to complete before claiming BSP is a common and costly mistake.
How to claim
You can claim BSP online, by phone, or by post. Phone is often the fastest option if you want to ask questions at the same time.
Online
Apply at gov.uk/bereavement-support-payment. The online form is available 24 hours a day. You will need your National Insurance number, your partner's National Insurance number, and your bank account details.
By phone
Call the DWP Bereavement Service helpline on 0800 151 2012 (free to call, Monday to Friday 8am–6pm). An adviser will take your claim over the phone and can answer questions about your eligibility. This is often the quickest route.
By post
Download form BSP1 from gov.uk or call the helpline to request one by post. Complete and return it to the address on the form. Allow extra time for postal claims — the 3-month deadline runs from the date of death, not the date you post the form.
The DWP Bereavement Service helpline for Bereavement Support Payment is 0800 151 2012. If you are also dealing with funeral costs, check the Funeral Expenses Payment guide. If your pension-age income has dropped, check the Pension Credit after bereavement guide.
What you will need
You will need your National Insurance number, your partner's National Insurance number, the date they died, and your bank or building society account details (sort code and account number). If you are claiming as a cohabiting partner, you will also need evidence of Child Benefit entitlement or pregnancy.
Keep a record of the claim
EstateManager helps you record the claim date, DWP reference, evidence requested, decision letter, payment dates, and any follow-up tasks. That record is useful if you later need to check whether the 3-month deadline was met or whether the payment affects another benefit after 12 months.
Effect on other benefits
BSP is designed to be largely protected from affecting your other benefits, at least in the short term.
| Benefit | Effect of BSP |
|---|---|
| Universal Credit | Monthly BSP payments are not counted as income for UC. The lump sum is ignored for 12 months. After 12 months, any remaining lump sum counts as capital (savings) — if this takes your total savings above £16,000, it could affect your UC. |
| Pension Credit | BSP does not affect Pension Credit entitlement. However, you must be under State Pension age to claim BSP in the first place. |
| Housing Benefit / Council Tax Reduction | BSP does not count as income for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction for the first 12 months. After 12 months, any remaining lump sum may count as capital. |
| Funeral Expenses Payment | BSP does not count as a qualifying benefit for Funeral Expenses Payment. You or your partner must usually receive Universal Credit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit or Housing Benefit; an SMI loan or a pending claim for one of those benefits may also qualify. |
| Income Tax | BSP is entirely non-taxable. You do not need to declare it on a tax return. |
Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit ended on 5 April 2025, so they are not shown as current benefit interactions here.
Tell your benefits office when you start receiving BSP
You are required to notify your benefits office (for example, your local Jobcentre Plus) when you start receiving BSP. Failing to do so could result in an overpayment that you would need to repay.
What happens after you claim
Once you have submitted your claim, DWP will check your partner's National Insurance record and confirm your eligibility. If your claim is approved, the lump sum will be paid into your bank account, followed by monthly payments on a set date each month.
DWP will write to you to confirm the decision. If your claim is rejected, the letter will explain why and tell you how to appeal. You have the right to ask for a mandatory reconsideration if you disagree with the decision, and to appeal to an independent tribunal if the reconsideration is unsuccessful.
Monthly payments continue for up to 18 months from the date of the death (not the date of your claim). If you reach State Pension age before the 18 months are up, payments stop at that point.
You may be entitled to additional support
BSP is one of several benefits that may be available after a bereavement. Depending on your circumstances, you may also be entitled to Pension Credit, Council Tax Reduction, Universal Credit, or a Funeral Expenses Payment. Our UK Government Benefits After a Bereavement guide covers all of these in detail.
If funeral costs are the urgent problem, read the Funeral Expenses Payment guide. If the surviving partner is over State Pension age and their income has dropped, read the Pension Credit after bereavement guide.
Common questions
I missed the 3-month deadline. Can I still claim?
Yes — you can usually 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.
Does BSP affect my Universal Credit?
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.
Is Bereavement Support Payment taxable?
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.
My partner paid National Insurance but I am not sure if they paid enough. Should I still claim?
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.
Can I claim BSP if I am working?
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.
What if my partner died because of a work accident or occupational disease?
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.
I was receiving Widowed Parent's Allowance. Does BSP replace it?
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. The maximum basic WPA is £156.65 a week in 2026/27. You do not need to switch to BSP.
Will BSP affect my Funeral Expenses Payment claim?
BSP does not count as a qualifying benefit for Funeral Expenses Payment. You or your partner must usually receive Universal Credit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit or Housing Benefit; an SMI loan or a pending claim for one of those benefits may also qualify. Receiving BSP alone does not make you eligible.
What happens to BSP if I remarry or enter a new relationship?
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.
Legal disclaimer: This guide is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws and procedures can change, and individual circumstances vary. If you need advice specific to your situation, please consult a qualified solicitor or legal professional.
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