Bereavement Support Payment calculator
A first payment followed by up to 18 monthly payments, at a higher rate if you have children. Claiming within three months gives you the full amount.
How Bereavement Support Payment works
The payment comes in two parts: a larger first payment, then a run of monthly payments for up to 18 months. There are two rates. If you were entitled to Child Benefit when your partner died, or you were pregnant, you get the higher rate of £3,500 up front and £350 a month. Otherwise the standard rate is £2,500 up front and £100 a month.
Timing matters for the monthly part. Claiming within 3 months of the death secures the full first payment and every monthly payment. You can still claim later, up to 21 months, but the monthly payments you receive drop the longer you leave it. The first payment is protected as long as you claim inside the 21 month window. The money is tax-free and does not reduce your other benefits.
Worked example
A parent claiming within a month of their partner's death gets the higher rate: a £3,500 first payment and 18 monthly payments of £350, which comes to £9,800 over 18 months. Someone with no children claiming at the same point gets the standard rate: £2,500 up front plus £100 a month, £4,300 in total.
Common questions
How much is Bereavement Support Payment?
There are two rates. The higher rate, for people who were getting Child Benefit or were pregnant, is a £3,500 first payment then 18 monthly payments of £350. The standard rate is a £2,500 first payment then 18 monthly payments of £100.
What is the difference between the higher and standard rate?
You get the higher rate if you were entitled to Child Benefit when your partner died, or if you were pregnant at the time. Everyone else who qualifies gets the standard rate. The tool picks the rate from whether you have children.
When do I need to claim by?
Claim within 3 months of the death to get the full first payment and all 18 monthly payments. You can still claim up to 21 months after, but you lose one monthly payment for roughly each month you wait beyond the first 3.
Does Bereavement Support Payment affect my other benefits?
The payments do not count as income for other benefits, and they are tax-free. They are also ignored for the benefit cap for a year. This is meant to give you breathing space without cutting your Universal Credit or other support.
Who can claim it?
You can usually claim if your husband, wife or civil partner died on or after 6 April 2017, you were under State Pension age at the time, and you normally live in the UK. Since February 2023 cohabiting partners with children can also qualify. Check the full rules with the Bereavement Service.