Bereavement Support Payment 2026/27: Rates, Eligibility and How to Claim

BSP is a payment from the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) for people whose spouse or civil partner has died.

It consists of two parts:

1. A one-off lump sum: £3,500 - paid within 4 weeks of approval (usually faster).
2. Monthly payments for up to 18 months:
   • Higher rate: £350 per month (if you have dependent children)
   • Standard rate: £100 per month (if you don't have dependent children)

That's a total of:

• With children: £3,500 + (£350 × 18 months) = £9,800
• Without children: £3,500 + (£100 × 18 months) = £5,300

The payments are paid monthly into your bank account on the same day each month. They're not taxable. If you claim other benefits (Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, ESA), BSP doesn't count as income and won't reduce what you get. BSP is separate from Funeral Expenses Payment, which helps with funeral costs if you're on qualifying benefits.

You can claim BSP if:

• Your spouse or civil partner has died (not a partner you lived with but didn't marry - the law is clear on this)
• You were under State Pension age when they died (or are still under it)
• AND they either:
  • Paid at least 25 weeks of National Insurance contributions at “standard rate” in any one tax year, OR
  • Paid National Insurance contributions at standard rate for at least 25 weeks in total across their working life

State Pension age is currently 66 (it's rising). If you're 66+ when your partner dies, you can't claim BSP.

Your deceased partner must have paid National Insurance. This almost always means:

• They were employed (and their employer took National Insurance from their salary)
• OR they were self-employed and registered with HMRC
• OR they were a UK resident who paid voluntary contributions

If your partner never worked in the UK, was unemployed for most of their life, or had very low earnings, they might not have made enough contributions.

How do you check? The DWP will check when you apply. But you can also:

1. Call HMRC on 0300 200 3500 and ask for a National Insurance record summary
2. Online at gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record (you need a Government Gateway login)
3. Write to: National Insurance Contributions Office, HM Revenue & Customs, BX9 1AA

It takes 4–6 weeks by post. Do it now if you're unsure.

You must apply within 21 months of your partner's death.

This deadline is strict. If you apply on day 643 and your partner died 630 days ago, you're in. If you apply on day 645, you're out. No exceptions, no discretion, no appeals.

21 months is an odd number because it's designed to be longer than the payments themselves (18 months). This gives you 3 months to find out about BSP and apply.

But here's the reality: many people don't find out until Probate is sorted and money is freed up - sometimes 6–12 months after the death. That's still within 21 months, but it's cutting it close.

If your partner died more than 21 months ago, you cannot claim. If they died 20 months ago, stop reading and apply today.

Online (fastest)

1. Go to gov.uk/bereavement-support-payment
2. You'll need:
   • Death certificate (original or certified copy)
   • Your partner's National Insurance number (if you have it - if not, the DWP will search)
   • Your bank details
   • Proof of your identity (passport, driving licence, or other ID)
3. The form takes 15–20 minutes
4. You can upload documents or send originals later

Online applications are processed faster - typically a decision within 2 weeks.

By phone

Phone 0800 731 0469 (free from landlines and most mobiles)

Hours:

• Monday to Friday: 8am–5pm
• Saturday: 9am–1pm
• Closed Sundays and bank holidays

Calls take 20–30 minutes. You'll need the same documents as online, but you'll read the information out or arrange to send documents after.

By post

Request the form from the phone number above, or download and complete form BSP1 from gov.uk/bereavement-support-payment.

Post is slowest. Takes 4–6 weeks to process after they receive it.

The application form is straightforward:

• Your details (name, address, National Insurance number)
• Your partner's details (name, date of death, National Insurance number)
• Whether you have dependent children (and their ages)
• Your bank details
• Whether your partner was employed, self-employed, or had non-working years

You'll need:

• Original death certificate or a certified copy
• Your ID
• Proof of address (utility bill, bank statement, council tax bill - no more than 3 months old)

Self-employed people pay National Insurance differently. They file tax returns (Self Assessment). The DWP will contact HMRC to check the record.

This sometimes takes longer - up to 6 weeks instead of 2 weeks - because it involves two government departments talking to each other. But it's handled automatically. You don't need to do anything extra.

If you have children under 20 (under 19 in most cases, but there are some exceptions for children in full-time education or apprenticeships), you get the higher rate: £350 per month instead of £100.

“Dependent” means:

• The child is under 16, OR
• They're 16–19 and in approved full-time education (GCSE, A-level, IB, apprenticeship, etc.), OR
• You're getting Child Benefit for them

You don't need to be the biological parent. You'll get the higher rate if the child was dependent on your deceased partner.

When each child finishes education or reaches 20, your rate drops back to £100 per month. The DWP will contact you about this; you don't need to tell them.

Day of application: You apply. If online, you get a reference number immediately.

Days 3–7: The DWP sends you a letter asking you to upload documents (if online) or confirming receipt and next steps (if phone/post).

Days 8–20: The DWP checks the National Insurance record, calls HMRC if self-employed, and makes a decision.

Day 21–28: You get a decision letter.

Day 28–35: The lump sum (£3,500) arrives in your bank account.

Month 2: The first monthly payment arrives (together with the second month's payment if it's slightly delayed).

Months 2–19: Monthly payments arrive.

From approval to money in your account usually takes 3–5 weeks. If there's a National Insurance issue or a missing document, it takes longer.

• Universal Credit: BSP doesn't count as income. Your UC amount won't go down.
• Housing Benefit: BSP counts, but there's a disregard. The first few hundred pounds each month are ignored.
• ESA (Employment Support Allowance): Same as Housing Benefit; there's a disregard.
• Child Benefit: Not affected at all.
• Income Support: Same as Universal Credit; doesn't count as income.

You don't need to tell the DWP about BSP when you claim these benefits. They're all run by the DWP and they talk to each other automatically.

Common reasons for rejection:

• Your partner didn't pay enough National Insurance contributions
• The death certificate doesn't match the records
• You weren't married or in a civil partnership at the time of death
• You'd already claimed BSP for a previous partner and haven't finished the 18-month period

If you're rejected, you get a decision letter explaining why. You have one month to ask for a reconsideration (called a “mandatory reconsideration”).

To challenge the decision:

1. Write to the address on the decision letter within one month
2. Explain why you think they got it wrong
3. Include any new evidence

If you're still rejected, you can appeal to the Appeals Tribunal. This is where you might want a solicitor or a Citizens Advice adviser. It's free to get help from Citizens Advice.

If your partner died more than 21 months ago, you cannot claim BSP. There's no appeal, no exception process, no discretion.

However:

• If your partner was in the armed forces, there's a different scheme (Armed Forces Compensation Scheme or Service Family Scheme) with no time limit.
• If you believe the 21 months has been miscalculated (for example, the DWP has your partner's death date wrong), appeal.
• If you were in prison, hospital, or abroad at the time and couldn't reasonably apply, there's a potential exception (rare, and you'd need to contact a solicitor).

The lump sum (£3,500) is yours to keep. You can use it for anything: funeral costs, debts, bills, rent, savings - whatever.

The monthly payments stop after 18 months. They don't change if you get a pay rise, if you move house, if you get a job, or if you save money. They're just there for 18 months.

After 18 months, they stop. There's no extension. If you still need financial support, you might qualify for other benefits (Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, etc.). But those are different systems with different rules. You should also check whether the deceased had a pension with survivor benefits or a life insurance policy that could provide additional financial support.

These related guides may also help:

• Funeral Expenses Payment: DWP help with funeral costs if you're on qualifying benefits
• Stopping Benefits After a Death: which benefits stop and how DWP claws back overpayments
• Pensions After a Death: State Pension, workplace pensions, and tracing lost pensions