New reforms set to make bereaved cohabitees with dependent children eligible for financial support

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is in its “final stages” of extending the Bereavement Support Payment and Widowed Parent’s Allowance to working age parents who were not married or in a civil partnership with their late partner.

New reforms set to make bereaved cohabitees with dependent children eligible for financial support

Subject to final Parliamentary approval of the draft Bereavement Benefits (Rem

edial) Order 2022, the application window is expected to open early this year, allowing more parents to claim.

Some people may be eligible for backdated payments if their partner died before the law was changed. Full details are set to be announced by the DWP soon.

Claims for Bereavement Support Payment will be made on gov.uk or by calling DWP’s Bereavement Service helpline. Claims for Widowed Parent’s Allowance will be processed by paper, with applications downloadable via gov.uk.

New reforms set to make bereaved cohabitees with dependent children eligible for financial support