Bereavement benefits and widows' benefits
Bereavement benefits were introduced from 9 April 2001 to replace widows' benefits for those bereaved after that date. Women who were already receiving Widow's Benefit before that date will continue to do so, for as long as they satisfy the qualifying conditions.
If you are widowed or your civil partner dies, you may be able to get one or more of the following UK bereavement benefits:
- Bereavement Payment - a one off tax free payment;
- Bereavement Allowance - a weekly benefit which can be paid for up to 52 weeks;
- Widowed Parent's Allowance -a weekly benefit for persons with children.
For these bereavement benefits your husband, wife or civil partner must have paid National Insurance (NI) contributions. Contributions paid by you do not count for these benefits.
You may be able to get these benefits at the full rate if:
- your husband, wife or civil partner died because of an accident at work or from a prescribed industrial disease
- and they did not have a full NI contribution record
You must have been married to, or had formed a civil partnership with, the person who has died.
