What is the Bereavement Support Payment?

The Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) is money that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) gives to people when their partner dies. It’s meant to help with the extra costs that come after a death. 

BSP is separate from any death benefits you may get from the Company. To find out more about death benefits, visit the FAQ page and click ‘Death benefits’ from the menu. 

You may be able to get BSP if: 

• your spouse or civil partner paid National Insurance contributions for at least 25 weeks in any single tax year since 1975 
• you were under State Pension age when your partner died 
• you were living in the UK at the time of death. 

You may still be able to get BSP if you weren’t married or in a civil partnership, as long as you were living together and you have a child or children.

The BSP is made up of two parts: a one-off lump sum (a larger first payment) and monthly payments for up to 18 months. These payments are made tax free, and aren’t included when calculating your entitlement to means-tested benefits or the benefit cap. 

How to claim
You should claim within three months of your partner’s death to get the full amount. You can still claim up to 21 months after their death, but you may get less payments. 

To claim BSP, you can: 

• call the Bereavement Service helpline on 0800 151 2012 
• apply online on GOV.UK 
• download a claim form on GOV.UK to print and return by post 
• contact your local Jobcentre Plus to have a paper form sent to you.