If your spouse, civil partner, or cohabiting partner has died, you may be entitled to Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) — a tax-free government benefit that provides a lump sum followed by 18 monthly payments. It is the main financial support available to bereaved partners in the UK, and you do not need to be on a low income to qualify.
The amount you receive depends on whether you have dependent children. At the higher rate, you could receive up to £9,800 in total — a £3,500 lump sum plus £350 a month for 18 months. You must claim within 21 months of the death, though claiming within the first three months ensures you receive the full amount.
This guide covers who qualifies, current payment rates, how to claim, and how BSP interacts with other benefits.
Who qualifies for bereavement support payment?
To qualify for Bereavement Support Payment, you must meet all of the following conditions:
- You were married to, in a civil partnership with, or living with your partner as if you were married when they died
- You were under State Pension age when your partner died
- Your partner was under State Pension age when they died
- Your partner had paid National Insurance contributions (Class 1 or Class 2) — a certain amount in any one tax year since 6 April 1975 — or died as a result of a workplace accident or industrial disease
- You are living in the UK or a country that pays bereavement benefits
- You are not in prison
If you were cohabiting (living together without being married or in a civil partnership), you can still claim — but only if one of the following applied at the time of death:
- You were receiving Child Benefit for a child you had together
- The Child Benefit Office had confirmed your entitlement to Child Benefit (even if you had not claimed it)
- You were pregnant
This extension to cohabiting couples was introduced by the Bereavement Benefits (Remedial) Order 2023, which came into force on 9 February 2023. It reflected the fact that many families in the UK live together without formal marriage or civil partnership, and followed a series of legal challenges that found the previous exclusion unlawful.
Who does not qualify
You cannot claim Bereavement Support Payment if:
- You and your partner were not married, not in a civil partnership, and none of the cohabiting conditions above apply — for example, if you lived together without children
- Your partner had reached State Pension age before they died
- You have reached State Pension age (you may be entitled to extra State Pension instead)
If you are unsure whether your partner paid enough National Insurance, apply anyway. The DWP will check their contribution record for you. (Source: gov.uk — Bereavement Support Payment eligibility)
How much is bereavement support payment?
Bereavement Support Payment is made up of two parts: a one-off lump sum paid in the first month, followed by up to 18 monthly payments. The amount depends on whether you qualify for the higher or standard rate.
| Rate | Lump sum | Monthly payments | Total (if claimed within 3 months) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Higher rate — you had dependent children, were entitled to Child Benefit, or were pregnant | £3,500 | £350 × 18 months | £9,800 |
| Standard rate — married or civil partnered, without dependent children | £2,500 | £100 × 18 months | £4,300 |
| Cohabiting partners (meeting eligibility criteria above) | £3,500 | £350 × 18 months | £9,800 |
These rates apply for the 2025–26 tax year and have been confirmed for 2026–27. (Source: gov.uk — Bereavement Support Payment: what you’ll get)
BSP is tax-free. You do not need to declare it on your tax return, and it does not count as taxable income. The payments go directly into your bank, building society, or credit union account.
If you reach State Pension age during the 18-month payment period, your monthly payments may stop early. Check with the Bereavement Service helpline if this applies to you.
How to claim bereavement support payment
You can apply for Bereavement Support Payment in three ways:
Online — the quickest method. Apply through the gov.uk Bereavement Support Payment page.
By phone — call the Bereavement Service helpline on 0800 151 2012 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm). A Welsh-language line is available on 0800 731 0453. If you use Relay UK, dial 18001 followed by 0800 151 2012. A BSL video relay service is also available.
By post — download form BSP1 from gov.uk, or request a copy by phone. Complete it and send it to the address on the form.
If you are abroad, call the International Pension Centre on +44 (0) 191 206 9390.
If the death occurred in Northern Ireland, the application process is different — apply through nidirect.gov.uk.
What you will need
Have the following to hand before you start:
- Your National Insurance number
- Your partner’s National Insurance number
- The date your partner died
- Your bank or building society account details
You do not need to send a copy of the death certificate, though having one nearby can help you confirm dates. (Source: gov.uk — how to claim Bereavement Support Payment)
Claim deadlines — why timing matters
How quickly you claim determines how much you receive:
- Within 3 months of the death — you receive the full lump sum and all 18 monthly payments
- Between 3 and 12 months — you receive the lump sum, but fewer monthly payments
- Between 12 and 21 months — you receive some monthly payments only (no lump sum)
- After 21 months — you are generally no longer eligible, unless the cause of death was only recently confirmed
The message is simple: claim as early as you can. If you are dealing with the immediate aftermath and cannot face it yet, ask a trusted family member or friend to help you start the process. The difference between claiming in month one and month four can be hundreds of pounds.
Bereavement support payment and other benefits
One of the most common concerns is whether claiming BSP will reduce your other benefits. The short answer: it is protected for the first year.
BSP does not affect your benefits for 12 months after your first payment. During that year, the lump sum and monthly payments are disregarded entirely — they do not count as income or capital for Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, or any other means-tested benefit.
After 12 months, any money remaining from the lump sum could be counted as savings when you renew or make a new claim for a means-tested benefit. If your total savings (including leftover BSP money) exceed the capital threshold for your benefit, it could affect your entitlement. For Universal Credit, the capital limit is £16,000.
You must tell your benefits office (for example, your local Jobcentre Plus) when you start receiving Bereavement Support Payment. This is a requirement even during the 12-month protection period. (Source: gov.uk — Bereavement Support Payment and other benefits)
BSP is not taxable — it does not need to be reported to HMRC and will not affect your income tax.
Common questions about bereavement support payment
What if we were living together but not married?
Since February 2023, cohabiting partners can claim BSP under the Bereavement Benefits (Remedial) Order 2023 — but only if you were receiving Child Benefit for a shared child, were entitled to Child Benefit, or were pregnant when your partner died. If you were living together without children and without a civil partnership, you do not currently qualify. This remains a point of active campaigning, and there is a parliamentary petition calling for the benefit to be extended further to all cohabiting couples.
Does BSP affect Universal Credit?
For the first 12 months after your first BSP payment, it does not affect Universal Credit at all. After that, any unspent lump sum money counts toward your capital (savings). If your total capital stays below £6,000, there is no effect. Between £6,000 and £16,000, you may receive a reduced amount. Above £16,000, you lose Universal Credit entitlement entirely.
What if my partner was self-employed?
Self-employed people pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions, which count toward BSP eligibility. If your partner was registered as self-employed and paid their NI contributions, you should qualify. If you are unsure whether they paid enough, apply anyway — the DWP will check.
Can I claim backdated BSP?
You can claim up to 21 months after the death, but you will only receive the payments you would have been entitled to from the date you claim — you do not get backdated payments for the months you missed. The only exception is if the cause of death has only recently been confirmed (for example, after a lengthy inquest).
Can I claim if I have remarried or started a new relationship?
Yes. Starting a new relationship or remarrying does not affect your entitlement to BSP. Once you have started receiving payments, they continue for the full 18-month period regardless of changes to your relationship status.
Other bereavement benefits and support
Bereavement Support Payment is one part of the financial support available after a death. Depending on your circumstances, you may also be entitled to:
- Widowed parent’s allowance — if your partner died before 6 April 2017, you may be receiving WPA rather than BSP. Our guide explains the current rate (£156.65 per week), what stops payments, and how it interacts with Universal Credit.
- Bereavement allowance — the predecessor to BSP for people aged 45–64 without dependent children whose partner died between 2003 and 2017. Closed to new claims and all payments have now ended, but our guide explains the history and how to contact the DWP about historic payments.
- Funeral Expenses Payment — a means-tested grant to help with funeral costs if you are on qualifying benefits. It covers burial or cremation fees in full, plus up to £1,000 for other expenses. You must claim within six months of the funeral.
- Guardian’s Allowance — if you are raising a child whose parents have both died, you may receive £22.10 per week per child on top of Child Benefit. It is tax-free and does not count toward the benefit cap or affect Universal Credit.
- Tell Us Once — a free service that notifies multiple government departments about the death in a single step, saving you from contacting each one individually.
- Bereavement leave — employees have statutory rights to time off, including two weeks’ paid parental bereavement leave if a child under 18 dies. Our guide explains the full entitlements and how to request time off from your employer.
- War Widow’s or Widower’s Pension — if your partner died as a result of their Armed Forces service, you may be entitled to a tax-free weekly war pension or AFCS survivor payment on top of BSP. The two benefits are entirely separate and can be claimed at the same time.
If you’re looking for emotional support alongside financial help, our guide to UK bereavement charities covers free helplines, peer support groups, and specialist services for different types of loss.
For a full overview of what financial support is available and what to do first, see our bereavement benefits hub. When you are ready to notify the DWP of the death — to stop State Pension, Universal Credit, and other benefits — see our guide to notifying the DWP when someone dies, which covers which benefits Tell Us Once handles and which need a separate call. For practical steps on notifying other organisations, see our company notification guides — including step-by-step instructions for Barclays, NatWest, HSBC, and other major providers.
Summary
Bereavement Support Payment is the main government benefit for people who have lost a spouse, civil partner, or cohabiting partner. It is tax-free, does not depend on your income or savings, and is worth up to £9,800 at the higher rate.
The single most important thing to remember: claim within three months of the death to receive the full amount. Call 0800 151 2012 or apply online at gov.uk.
Rates and eligibility last verified: March 2026, from gov.uk — Bereavement Support Payment.