Benefits and entitlements
There are benefits available to help with the costs when somebody dies.
You might be able to get help to pay for the funeral of a partner, close relative, close friend, or child. You must be responsible for the funeral and you must meet certain criteria, including being in receipt of certain benefits.
If your husband, wife, or civil partner has died you might be able to claim Bereavement Support Payment, but only if they died on or after 6 April 2017. Seek advice if you were not married to your partner and they have died as this has been contested in the courts. You need to have been under your state pension age when your partner died (currently 66). Check your state pension age if you are not sure. It doesn’t matter what your income is, if you have any savings, or if you are working. Your husband, wife, or civil partner must have paid national insurance (NI) at the lower earnings limit for at least 25 weeks in one tax year OR died because of an accident at work, or a disease caused by their work. When you apply the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) will check to see if your partner paid enough NI contributions.
If you don’t have children, you can get a lump sum payment of £2,500 and monthly payments of £100 for up to 18 months. If you have children or you’re pregnant, you can get a lump sum payment of £3,500 and monthly payments of £350 for up to 18 months.
You won’t have to pay tax on any of the payments, including the lump sum. Your monthly payments won’t affect your other benefits. If you still have some of the lump sum left after a year, it could affect the amount of other benefits you can get.
You should try and fill in the form within three months of your husband, wife, or civil partner’s death to get the full 18 months of payments. After three months, the DWP will count your application as late. You’ll lose one monthly payment for every month your application is late. To get the lump sum, your application must reach the DWP within 12 months of your husband, wife, or civil partner’s death. If your application arrives after 12 months, you won’t get the lump sum, but you will get any remaining monthly payments due.
See Bereavement Support Payment (GOV.UK).