Bereavement Support Payment UK 2025

What Is Bereavement Support Payment?

Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) is a DWP benefit introduced in April 2017 to help people who have lost a spouse, civil partner, or cohabiting partner. It replaced three older bereavement benefits: Bereavement Payment (a lump sum), Bereavement Allowance (a weekly payment), and Widowed Parent’s Allowance. BSP is not means-tested, not taxable, and does not depend on your income or savings.

The benefit is designed to provide financial support during the difficult period immediately following a bereavement, with both an initial lump sum and ongoing monthly payments for up to 18 months.

BSP Rates 2025

Bereavement Support Payment has two rates — the higher rate and the lower rate. Which you receive depends on whether you have dependent children or are pregnant at the time of the claim.

Who Qualifies?

To receive Bereavement Support Payment, you must meet all of the following conditions:

• Your spouse, civil partner, or cohabiting partner died on or after 6 April 2017
• Your partner was under State Pension age when they died
• You are under State Pension age yourself at the time of the claim (State Pension age is currently 66)
• You were ordinarily resident in the UK, an EEA country, or Switzerland when your partner died (or must meet other residency conditions)
• Your partner paid National Insurance contributions for at least 25 weeks in any one tax year, OR they died as a result of a work-related accident or disease

National Insurance Record Requirement

The deceased must have paid Class 1, Class 2, or Class 3 National Insurance contributions for at least 25 qualifying weeks in any single tax year. This is a relatively low bar — one tax year of reasonable employment typically satisfies the requirement.

The NI requirement is waived if:

• The death was caused by a work-related accident or prescribed industrial disease (industrial injuries provisions apply)

NI contributions made abroad may count in some circumstances, particularly within EEA countries under reciprocal social security agreements. If you are unsure whether the deceased’s NI record qualifies, contact DWP directly.

How and When to Claim

You can claim Bereavement Support Payment:

• Online at gov.uk/bereavement-support-payment
• By phone to the DWP bereavement team on 0800 731 0469 (Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm)
• By post using form BSP1, available from Jobcentre Plus offices

When claiming, you will need:

• Your National Insurance number
• Your partner’s National Insurance number and date of death
• Their death certificate (or the coroner’s interim certificate if awaiting the full certificate)
• Your bank details for payment
• Evidence of any qualifying children (Child Benefit claim reference)
• If claiming as a cohabiting partner: evidence of your relationship (joint bills, correspondence at the same address)

Timing and Payment Schedule

The lump sum is paid within a few days of the claim being approved. Monthly payments are then made on the same date each month for up to 18 months from the first payment date.

Tax and Benefit Treatment

Bereavement Support Payment is completely tax-free. You do not need to report it on a self-assessment tax return and it will not affect your income tax position.

For means-tested benefits (such as Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction):

• BSP is fully disregarded as income for 12 months after the first payment
• After 12 months, any remaining savings from BSP may be counted as capital in means-tested benefit calculations, which could reduce your entitlement to other benefits if savings exceed the capital threshold

BSP does not affect your National Insurance record. It does not appear on your payslip or P60. Receiving BSP has no impact on other contributory benefits you may be entitled to.

Old Bereavement Benefits (Pre-April 2017)

If your partner died before 6 April 2017, you were assessed under the old bereavement benefit rules. These consisted of:

• Bereavement Payment: A tax-free lump sum of £2,000 paid once
• Bereavement Allowance: A weekly payment for up to 52 weeks, for widows and widowers aged 45 or over (or over 55 for the full amount). This was taxable and means-affected.
• Widowed Parent’s Allowance: A weekly payment for widows and widowers with dependent children, continuing until the youngest child was no longer dependent. This replaced Widow’s Pension and was taxable.

If you are still receiving Widowed Parent’s Allowance (because your partner died before April 2017), you remain on the old rules until your youngest child is no longer dependent, at which point it ends. You cannot switch to Bereavement Support Payment.

Cohabiting Partners

Following a landmark Supreme Court ruling in August 2020 (Jackson v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions), the exclusion of cohabiting partners from bereavement benefits was found to be incompatible with human rights law. DWP extended eligibility to cohabiting partners from February 2023.

If your cohabiting partner died between 6 April 2017 and February 2023, you may be able to make a retrospective claim. Seek welfare rights advice or contact DWP directly, as the retrospective rules are complex and time limits may apply.

To prove a cohabiting relationship, DWP may ask for evidence such as:

• Joint tenancy or mortgage documents
• Utility bills, council tax bills, or bank statements showing both names at the same address
• Witness statements from family or friends
• Child Benefit records showing both as parents

Funeral Costs Support

Bereavement Support Payment is separate from help with funeral costs. If you are on qualifying benefits and responsible for arranging a funeral, you may also be entitled to a Funeral Expenses Payment from the DWP Social Fund. See our dedicated Funeral Expenses Payment guide for details on amounts, eligibility, and how to apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

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