Widow's pension and bereavement support

What financial support can I get when my partner dies?

If your partner has died, you may be eligible for bereavement support payment. 

This replaced the bereavement allowance - previously known as widow's pension. 

Here we explain how bereavement support payment works, and how to claim it.

What was the widow's pension?

The widow's pension provided financial support to women aged between 45 and 65 whose husbands had died. It was replaced by the bereavement allowance in 2001.

Bereavement allowance was then replaced by the bereavement support payment in 2017.

However, if your partner died before 6 April 2017, you could be entitled to widowed parent's allowance.

How much is the widowed parent's allowance in 2025-26?

Bereavement support payment has now replaced the widowed parent's allowance, which was available to those whose partner died before 6 April 2017.

But if you already get the widowed parent's allowance, your payments will continue as long as you continue to be eligible. 

The amount you can claim depends on how much your partner paid in National Insurance. The maximum is £150.90 a week in 2025-26.

Am I eligible for the bereavement support payment?

If your partner died on or after 6 April 2017, you may be eligible for the bereavement support payment.

To qualify, you must be under state pension age and married to your partner, in a civil partnership with them, or living together as if you were married.

Your partner must have made at least 25 weeks' worth of National Insurance contributions in any tax year, or have died as a result of an accident or illness caused by work.

How much is the bereavement support payment in 2025-26?

The bereavement support payment is made up of a one-off lump sum, followed by 18 monthly payments. 

There are two rates. You qualify for the higher rate if you were eligible for child benefit or receiving child benefit when you partner died, or you were pregnant.

How do I claim bereavement support payment?

To get the one-off payment and all 18 monthly payments you're entitled to you must claim within three months of your partner's death. You can make a claim up to 21 months after their death, but you'll get a lower payment.

You can apply for bereavement support payment online, by phone (0800 151 2012) or by post (you can download a form from the government's website or call the helpline to get one sent to you).

You'll need to provide your National Insurance number as well as your partner's, plus your bank account details and the date your partner died.

If my husband dies do I get his state pension?

The rules vary depending on when you reached state pension age.

If you reached state pension age before 6 April 2016, you could be entitled to receive a higher basic state pension based on your spouse's National Insurance record (assuming you're receiving less than the full basic state pension).

You might also be able to inherit part of their additional state pension if your marriage or civil partnership began before 6 April 2016.

If you reached (or will reach) state pension age after 6 April 2016, payments are based on your own National Insurance record, rather than that of your spouse or civil partner. 

This means you can no longer inherit any state pension. However, there are some exceptions that ensure no one is worse off than they would have been under the old state pension rules.

• Find out more: what happens to my pension when I die?