Bereavement Support Payment Checker UK 2025/26 — Are You Eligible?
Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) is a tax-free benefit paid to people who have lost a spouse, civil partner, or (since August 2023) a cohabiting partner with children. It provides a lump sum followed by up to 18 monthly payments. Critically, you must claim within 21 months of the death — missing this deadline means you lose the payment entirely. Use our checker to assess your eligibility and understand how much you could receive.
Based on 2024/25 BSP rates. Rates may be uplifted for 2025/26. This is an eligibility indicator only — DWP makes the final decision. Always claim promptly; the 21-month deadline is strict and cannot be extended.
What Is Bereavement Support Payment?
Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) is a tax-free benefit introduced on 6 April 2017 under the Pensions Act 2014. It replaced three previous bereavement benefits — Widowed Parent's Allowance (WPA), Bereavement Allowance (previously Widow's Pension), and Bereavement Payment — for deaths occurring from that date onwards.
BSP is paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and consists of a one-off initial lump sum payment followed by up to 18 monthly instalments. The total value depends on whether you have dependent children.
BSP Payment Rates 2024/25
| Rate | Eligibility | Lump Sum | Monthly Payment | Maximum Total (18 months) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Higher Rate | With dependent children, or pregnant at time of death | £3,500 | £350/month | £9,800 |
| Lower Rate | Without dependent children | £2,500 | £100/month | £4,300 |
BSP is uprated annually in April in line with the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). Check the DWP website or gov.uk for the confirmed 2025/26 rates.
Who Is Eligible for Bereavement Support Payment?
To qualify for BSP, all of the following conditions must be met:
- Relationship — You were married to, in a civil partnership with, or (from August 2023) cohabiting with the deceased and had qualifying children together.
- Age — You were under State Pension age (currently 66) when your partner died.
- Residence — You were ordinarily resident in Great Britain (England, Scotland or Wales). Northern Ireland has a separate but equivalent scheme.
- National Insurance — The deceased paid at least 25 weeks of National Insurance contributions in any single tax year, OR died as a result of an industrial accident or prescribed industrial disease (in which case the NI condition does not apply).
- Not imprisoned — You were not serving a prison sentence at the time of the claim.
The Extension to Cohabiting Partners
Originally, BSP was only available to married couples and civil partners. This was successfully challenged in the Supreme Court (and via related litigation in Northern Ireland) on human rights grounds. Following the case of McLaughlin v Department for Communities [2018] UKSC 48 in Northern Ireland, the DWP extended BSP eligibility to cohabiting partners with qualifying children with effect from 9 August 2023.
To qualify as a cohabiting partner for BSP purposes, you must: (1) have been living together with the deceased as a couple; (2) have at least one qualifying child between you (a child for whom Child Benefit was, or could have been, claimed); and (3) not have been married to or in a civil partnership with someone else. Cohabiting partners without children remain ineligible under current law.
The National Insurance Contribution Requirement
BSP depends on the deceased's NI record, not the claimant's. The deceased must have paid (or been credited with) Class 1, 2 or 3 National Insurance contributions in at least 25 weeks in any single tax year during their working life. This requirement is met by most people who have worked in the UK — even part-time workers will often meet this threshold.
If the deceased was self-employed, Class 2 NI contributions count. Class 3 voluntary contributions also count if paid. The NI requirement does not apply if the deceased died as a direct result of an accident or disease caused by their work — for example, if they died from mesothelioma caused by asbestos exposure at work.
You can check whether the NI condition is met by asking DWP when you claim — they will check the deceased's NI record automatically. You do not need to supply NI evidence yourself.
How to Claim Bereavement Support Payment
You can claim BSP in the following ways:
- Online — via gov.uk/bereavement-support-payment (available 24/7)
- By phone — call the Bereavement Service helpline on 0800 151 2012 (free, Monday–Friday 8am–6pm)
- Form BSP1 — available from Jobcentre Plus offices or downloadable from gov.uk
You will need: the deceased's National Insurance number and date of birth, date of marriage or civil partnership (or evidence of cohabitation if claiming as a cohabiting partner), details of any dependent children, and your bank account details for payment.
Payments are made directly into your bank account. The lump sum is usually paid within a few weeks of the successful claim. Monthly payments then follow.
Backdating and the 21-Month Rule
If you claim within 3 months of the death, you receive the full lump sum plus all monthly instalments from the month following the death. If you claim between 3 and 21 months after the death, you still receive the lump sum and all remaining instalments — but you cannot receive the instalments for months already elapsed (you miss those). After 21 months from the date of death, no claim can be made at all.
This means the sooner you claim, the more monthly payments you receive. Delaying by 6 months means losing 6 monthly payments (£600 at lower rate or £2,100 at higher rate).
Effect of BSP on Other Benefits
BSP is tax-free and largely disregarded when calculating other benefits:
- Universal Credit — BSP is fully disregarded as income and capital for 12 months from the date of payment. After 12 months, ongoing monthly BSP payments may be treated as income. The lump sum payment is disregarded indefinitely.
- Housing Benefit — disregarded as income for 12 months
- Council Tax Support — disregarded for 12 months
- Income-related ESA/JSA — disregarded for 12 months
- Tax credits — fully disregarded
Because BSP is tax-free, it does not affect Income Tax or National Insurance. It also does not count as income for the purposes of Child Benefit (which has its own High Income Child Benefit Tax Charge based on earnings above £60,000).
Funeral Expenses Payment
Separate from BSP, you may also be entitled to a Funeral Expenses Payment from DWP if you receive a qualifying means-tested benefit (Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income-related ESA, Income-based JSA, Housing Benefit, or Child Tax Credit). This covers the full cost of a burial or cremation plus up to £1,000 for other funeral expenses. It is repaid from the estate of the deceased if there is sufficient money.
Challenging a Refused BSP Claim
If your BSP claim is refused, you have the right to challenge the decision through the DWP's Mandatory Reconsideration process. You must request a Mandatory Reconsideration within one month of the decision letter. If you remain unhappy after reconsideration, you can appeal to the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal (First-tier Tribunal) — this is free and independent. Citizens Advice can help you prepare your appeal.