Widowed parent's allowance: what you need to know

Last updated 1 May 2026

Widowed parent’s allowance (WPA) is a weekly benefit paid to surviving parents with dependent children after the death of a spouse, civil partner, or cohabiting partner. It is closed to new claims — if your partner died on or after 6 April 2017, you cannot apply for WPA. If your partner died before that date and you have been receiving WPA since then, your payments continue automatically for as long as you remain eligible.

If your partner died on or after 6 April 2017, the benefit you need is Bereavement Support Payment — a different scheme that replaced WPA and the older bereavement allowance. BSP works differently and is available to a broader group of people, including cohabiting partners with children.

This guide explains who is still receiving WPA, what the current rate is, what can stop or reduce your payments, why WPA was replaced, and how to get in touch with the DWP if your circumstances change.

What is widowed parent’s allowance?

WPA was a contributory benefit — paid weekly to parents who lost a partner, provided that partner had paid sufficient National Insurance contributions (or died from a work-related accident or industrial disease). Being entitled to Child Benefit for at least one child was a core condition: the benefit was specifically designed to support parents raising children alone after bereavement.

WPA replaced the older widowed mother’s allowance in April 2001, extending rights to widowers and surviving civil partners for the first time. It in turn was replaced by Bereavement Support Payment on 6 April 2017. Anyone already receiving WPA on that date was grandfathered — their payments continued under the old rules, and they were not moved onto the new scheme.

The result is two parallel systems: WPA for those whose partner died before April 2017 and who have been receiving it continuously, and BSP for those bereaved since.

(Source: gov.uk — Widowed Parent’s Allowance)

Who receives WPA now?

You are eligible to continue receiving WPA only if your partner died before 6 April 2017 and you have been receiving it without a break since then. No new claims have been possible since that date.

To remain eligible, you must meet all of the following:

  • Your partner died before 6 April 2017
  • Your partner paid National Insurance contributions (or died from a work-related accident or industrial disease)
  • You are entitled to Child Benefit for at least one child
  • You are under State Pension age
  • You are not in prison
  • You have not remarried, formed a civil partnership, or begun living with a new partner

Your payments continue automatically as long as you remain eligible. You do not need to reapply each year.

How long do payments last? WPA continues until your youngest dependent child is no longer entitled to Child Benefit. In practice, that usually means payments stop when the child turns 16 — or turns 20 if they remain in full-time approved education or training.

Cohabiting partners: WPA covered couples who were living together as though married or in a civil partnership, as well as formally married and civil-partnered couples. If you were cohabiting with your partner when they died (before April 2017), you were eligible provided the other conditions were met.

(Source: gov.uk — Widowed Parent’s Allowance eligibility)

What WPA pays

The current weekly rate of widowed parent’s allowance is £156.65 (2026–27 tax year, uprated from £150.90 in 2025–26).

The amount you receive depends on how much National Insurance your late partner paid. If they had a full NI contribution record, you receive the maximum weekly rate. If their contributions were incomplete, the amount is reduced proportionally. In most cases, recipients receive the full rate.

If your partner died as a result of an accident at work or an industrial disease, you receive WPA even if they did not pay NI contributions — the full rate applies in these circumstances.

WPA is subject to annual uprating each April, in line with the government’s uprating policy for working-age benefits.

WPA is taxable. It counts as taxable income and is included in your income for income tax purposes. If your total income exceeds the personal allowance, you may need to declare it on a self-assessment return or contact HMRC to ensure your tax code is correct. If you are unsure, check gov.uk/check-if-you-need-to-send-a-self-assessment-tax-return.

Rate source: gov.uk — Benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027, verified May 2026.

What can stop your WPA payments

Remarriage and forming a new civil partnership

WPA stops immediately if you remarry or form a new civil partnership. You must report this to the Dover Benefit Centre (details below) as soon as it happens. Failure to report can result in overpayment, which the DWP will seek to recover.

Cohabitation

Your WPA stops if you begin living with a new partner as if you are married or in a civil partnership — even if you do not formally marry. The DWP treats cohabitation the same as remarriage for benefit purposes.

If you are uncertain whether your situation counts as cohabitation, contact the Dover Benefit Centre before assuming your payments are unaffected. The DWP takes a view on this based on the nature and stability of the relationship.

Losing entitlement to Child Benefit

WPA is tied directly to Child Benefit entitlement. If you stop being entitled to Child Benefit — because your youngest child turns 16 (or 20 if in full-time approved education or training) — your WPA stops at the same time.

Reaching State Pension age

WPA ends when you reach State Pension age. At that point you may become entitled to a State Pension based on your own or your late partner’s NI record. Contact the Pension Service to check your entitlement.

What does not affect WPA

Starting a new job, increasing your earnings, or changing your hours does not affect WPA — it is not means-tested. You receive the same amount regardless of your income or savings.

WPA and other benefits

WPA is counted as income for means-tested benefits. This means it can affect the amount you receive from:

  • Universal Credit — WPA is treated as unearned income and reduces your Universal Credit award pound for pound above the work allowance. If you receive WPA, you must report it when making a Universal Credit claim.
  • Income Support — WPA is taken into account as income. In many cases, recipients who were on Income Support alongside WPA found their IS was reduced by a corresponding amount.
  • Jobseeker’s Allowance (income-based) and Employment and Support Allowance (income-related) — WPA is treated as income for both.
  • Pension Credit — if you are approaching State Pension age and receiving Pension Credit, WPA counts as income in the calculation.

WPA is subject to the benefit cap — the overall limit on total benefit income for working-age claimants. The benefit cap applies in most of England (with London having a higher cap), and in Wales and Scotland. If your total benefits (including WPA) exceed the cap, your housing-related benefits are typically reduced to bring you within it.

If you are unsure how WPA affects your other benefits, contact the Dover Benefit Centre or seek free advice from Citizens Advice.

War widow’s or widower’s pension

If your partner died as a result of their service in HM Armed Forces before 6 April 2005, you may also be entitled to a War Widow’s or Widower’s Pension from Veterans UK. This is entirely separate from WPA — it is tax-free, not means-tested, and does not reduce your WPA. You can receive both at the same time. See our guide to war pension and AFCS payments for eligibility criteria and current rates.

Why WPA was replaced

WPA was replaced by Bereavement Support Payment in April 2017 following sustained criticism of the old system on equality grounds.

The central problem was the cohabitation rule. Under WPA and the earlier bereavement allowance, unmarried couples who had not formalised their relationship through marriage or civil partnership had very limited access to bereavement benefits — even when they had lived together as a family for many years. For WPA specifically, cohabiting couples with children were eventually brought within scope, but the inconsistency across the bereavement benefit system was widely seen as unfair.

A series of legal challenges — most notably brought by the charity Childhood Bereavement Network and bereaved families through judicial review — established that the exclusion of cohabiting couples from bereavement benefits was incompatible with human rights law. The government’s response was the Bereavement Benefits (Remedial) Order 2023, which came into force on 9 February 2023 and extended Bereavement Support Payment to cohabiting partners (subject to conditions — see our BSP guide for details).

The 2017 switch to BSP also addressed other criticisms: the old system excluded younger bereaved people (those under 45 without children had no entitlement), was taxable, and penalised those who formed new relationships. BSP removed age bands, became tax-free, and made the payment time-limited rather than open-ended.

If you are bereaved now: claim BSP instead

If your partner died on or after 6 April 2017, WPA is not available to you. The relevant benefit is Bereavement Support Payment (BSP).

BSP works differently from WPA:

  • It is paid as a lump sum plus up to 18 monthly payments — not an ongoing weekly benefit
  • It is tax-free and does not affect means-tested benefits for the first 12 months
  • It is not means-tested and does not depend on your income or savings
  • At the higher rate (for those with dependent children), the total is up to £9,800 — a £3,500 lump sum plus £350 a month
  • Cohabiting couples can qualify if they were receiving Child Benefit for a shared child, entitled to it, or pregnant when their partner died

BSP must be claimed within 21 months of the death, but claiming within three months gives you the full amount. Call 0800 151 2012 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm) or apply online at gov.uk/bereavement-support-payment.

For full details, see our guide to Bereavement Support Payment.

Common questions

Can I still claim WPA?

Only if your partner died before 6 April 2017 and you were already receiving WPA. No new claims are possible. If your partner died after that date, the benefit you need is Bereavement Support Payment.

Will my WPA stop if I remarry?

Yes. WPA ends immediately on remarriage or formation of a new civil partnership. It also ends if you begin living with a new partner as a couple, even without formal marriage. You must report any such change to the Dover Benefit Centre promptly.

Is WPA taxable?

Yes. WPA is taxable income and must be included in your total income when calculating income tax. If your income exceeds the personal allowance (£12,570 for most people in 2026–27), you may owe tax on it. HMRC may adjust your tax code to collect this through PAYE if you are employed. If you complete a self-assessment return, declare WPA as income from social security benefits.

What happens when my child leaves full-time education?

WPA stops when you are no longer entitled to Child Benefit for your youngest child. Child Benefit ends at 16, or at 20 if the child remains in full-time approved education or training. You will receive no further WPA payments once Child Benefit ends — there is no wind-down period.

Does WPA affect my Universal Credit?

Yes. WPA counts as unearned income for Universal Credit and reduces your UC award pound for pound above any applicable work allowance. You must declare WPA when making a Universal Credit claim. Contact the Dover Benefit Centre and your Jobcentre Plus to make sure both are aware of your situation.

Can I get WPA if I am self-employed?

Your eligibility for WPA depends on your late partner’s National Insurance record, not your own employment status. If your partner paid sufficient Class 2 NI contributions as a self-employed person, you may have been eligible. Check with the DWP if you have questions about an existing claim.

How to contact the DWP about your WPA

Contact the Dover Benefit Centre for any questions about your WPA, to report a change in circumstances, or to check on your payments:

  • Telephone: 0800 151 2012 (free, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm)
  • Relay UK: 18001 then 0800 151 2012
  • Welsh language: 0800 731 0453
  • Post: Dover Benefit Centre, Post Handling Site B, Wolverhampton, WV99 1LA

Northern Ireland: If you are based in Northern Ireland, contact the Bereavement Service through nidirect.gov.uk.

Changes you must report

Contact the Dover Benefit Centre promptly if any of the following apply:

  • You remarry or form a civil partnership
  • You begin living with a new partner
  • You stop being entitled to Child Benefit
  • You reach State Pension age
  • Any other change in circumstances that might affect your entitlement

Reporting late can result in overpayments that you will be required to repay, and in some cases civil penalties.

(Source: gov.uk — report a change in your circumstances for WPA)

Summary

Widowed parent’s allowance is a legacy benefit, closed to new claims since 6 April 2017, but still being paid to those who were already receiving it. The current rate is £156.65 per week (2026–27). Payments continue as long as you remain entitled to Child Benefit and have not remarried, formed a civil partnership, or started living with a new partner. WPA is taxable income.

If your partner died after April 2017, the benefit you need is Bereavement Support Payment — a different scheme with different rules.

For an overview of all the financial support available after a bereavement, see our bereavement benefits hub. If you are also dealing with the deceased’s estate, our probate guide explains the legal process for administering it. For background on the sister benefit for those aged 45–64 without dependent children, see our guide to bereavement allowance.

Rates and eligibility verified May 2026 from gov.uk — Widowed Parent’s Allowance and gov.uk — Benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027.

Sources