Bereavement Support Payment – claim within 3 months to get the full amount

If your husband, wife, civil partner or cohabiting partner has died and you are under State Pension age, you may be entitled to Bereavement Support Payment. Claim within 3 months of the death to get the full amount. You usually cannot claim after 21 months.

Deadline

No fixed deadline

Last checked

Checked against the official source: 20 October 2026

What if you miss the deadline? Claiming 3 to 12 months after the death, you get the one-off payment but fewer monthly payments. From 12 to 21 months, you get no one-off payment and only some monthly payments. After 21 months you usually cannot get any payments.

Bereavement Support Payment helps if your partner has died. It is not means-tested. You get a one-off payment and up to 18 monthly payments: £3,500 and £350 a month at the higher rate, or £2,500 and £100 a month at the lower rate.

How to do it

1. Check if you're eligible: you must have been under State Pension age when your partner died, and your partner must have paid National Insurance contributions or died because of an accident at work or a disease caused by work.
2. If you are not sure about your partner's contributions, claim anyway. The Bereavement Service will check.
3. Call the Bereavement Service helpline on 0800 151 2012 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm), or fill in form BSP1 and post it.
4. If you live in Northern Ireland, apply through nidirect instead.
5. Claim within 3 months of the death to get the one-off payment and all 18 monthly payments.

Common questions

How long do I have to claim Bereavement Support Payment?

Claim within 3 months of your partner's death to get the full amount. You usually must claim within 21 months, and later claims get less.

Can I get Bereavement Support Payment if we were not married?

Yes, if you were living together as if you were married and you were getting Child Benefit for a child living with you, were entitled to it, or were pregnant.

What is the difference between the higher and lower rate?

You get the higher rate if you were getting or entitled to Child Benefit for a child living with you, or were pregnant, when your partner died. Otherwise you get the lower rate.

Official source: gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

This information is not legal or tax advice.