Bereavement payment

[mumda]

https://www.gov.uk/bereavement-support-payment/eligibility

My friend who has been recently widowed has rung me in amazement to tell me about this well hidden scheme.

£2500

When your partner died, you must have been:

• under State Pension age
• living in the UK or a country that pays bereavement benefits
• married to your partner, in a civil partnership with them, or living with them as if you were married

Your partner must have either:

• paid a certain amount of Class 1 or Class 2 National Insurance contributions in any one tax year since 6 April 1975
• died because of an accident at work or a disease caused by work

I didn’t think it was hidden tbh, it replaced the windows pension, but happy to bump in case others weren’t aware of this.
I think it’s up to £2500, as it’s dependent on circumstances.

As well as the lump sum, there is also £100 a month for 18 months following their death.

It has been a huge help tbh.

When you use the « Tell it Once » thing to notify various agencies, it’s flagged up. I received it plus the £100 a month for eighteen months.

Yes, I was told by several sources including the GP, the registrar and "tell us once". It's just not generally well.known until you need it.

She wasn't told about it at tell us once..

Is it in some paperwork?

It's listed in the step by step guide of "what to do when someone dies" on gov.uk (step 4):
Check if you can get bereavement benefits
Hide
You might be eligible for financial help.

Check if you can get:

Bereavement Support Payment if your partner has died
Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay and Leave if your child has died or you’ve had a stillbirth
Guardian's Allowance if you're bringing up a child whose parents have died

https://www.gov.uk/after-a-death/bereavement-help-and-support

It's all part of this Gov.uk guide. Sorry that your friend needed it though.

Well was his illness cause by his work?

The govt changed it. It used to be much better in that payments were received until children reached 21 but it was reduced to this. Terrible cut.

Presumably or else op’s friend wouldn’t have qualified?

The conditions don’t say you need to have died from a work related illness?

It's not just if caused by work - if they paid NICs you'd qualify too. I guess the 'caused by work' clause is for people who didn't pay sufficient NICs to qualify.

I had been only vaguely aware of this in the past but my funeral director kindly mentioned it to me when I arranged DH's funeral last year. I claimed soon after and they were extremely quick to sort the payment. The monthly payment since has been really helpful too.

• From the op “died because of an accident at work or a disease caused by work

”

If you have children you get a higher rate. I get £350 a month. I had never heard of it either.

From the OP

Your partner must have either:

• paid a certain amount of Class 1 or Class 2 National Insurance contributions in any one tax year since 6 April 1975
• died because of an accident at work or a disease caused by work

You can’t just quote a random bit of the OP as evidence when the section before qualifies the point materially.