Bereavement Support Payment, Funeral Expenses Payment, Council Tax discounts, Pension Credit, and more — what you may be entitled to and how to claim.
This guide is part of ProbateHelp's Support & Benefits guide cluster.
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Yes — you usually have up to 21 months from the date of death to claim. Claim within 3 months for the full available entitlement; later claims can lose monthly payments, and reaching State Pension age can also reduce the number payable. The lump sum remains available if you claim within 12 months. Check the current GOV.UK timing rules and claim promptly.
Possibly, but having a dependent child alone is not enough. For a current cohabiting-partner claim, unless applying for a backdated payment, you must have been receiving Child Benefit for a child living with you, had confirmation from the Child Benefit Office that you were entitled even if you chose not to receive payments, or been pregnant when your partner died. If your partner was receiving or entitled to Child Benefit instead, make a new Child Benefit claim in your own name before applying for BSP. Ask the Bereavement Service about uncertain or backdated cases. Other BSP conditions also apply.
Funeral Expenses Payment can cover specified categories of cost and up to £1,000 for certain other funeral expenses. The award depends on eligibility, responsibility for the funeral and relevant money available from the estate or other sources under DWP rules; it is not a promise to pay every listed cost in full.
Tell Us Once reports the death to participating departments so that they can update records and payments. It does not start new claims for the survivor. Check Bereavement Support Payment, State Pension and any other possible entitlement separately.
Not necessarily. Pension Credit can still be worth checking after bereavement. For 2026/27, Guarantee Credit tops up a single person's weekly income to £238. Even if your income is above that, you may still qualify because of disability, caring responsibilities, Savings Credit (if you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016), housing costs, or a child or young person living with you. Use the Pension Credit calculator at GOV.UK or call 0800 99 1234.
An empty home may qualify for the applicable council-tax deceased-estate exemption while liability rests solely with the personal representatives and the other conditions are met. The rules and terminology differ across the UK; ask the council to confirm the account, evidence and end date.