Bereavement Allowance etc

Comyface

Hi

My dad died last week

Mum's cousin has mentioned to her that she may be entitled to some benefit money. Now I've searched online and I don't think she is, but mum has asked me to check and I would kick myself if I've missed something that she's entitled to.

She's 64 and already in receipt of her state pension. This is why I think she isn't entitled to anthing extra, but obviously I'd be happy to be wrong. Dad was 73 and also in receipt of his state pension. Would Mum be entitled to anything extra because of Dad?

I don't know the amounts (or if Mum gets a full pension, she didn't work for some years), but would be grateful for some pointers of where to go to find out or even that she's not entitled to anything, just to put my mind at rest.

Thanks.

anmarj

your mum will not get the £2000 payment as your dad was in recepit of a state pension, but her state pension will increase as she will inherit certain percentage of his. all this will be considered once the department have nofiticaiton of your dad's death.

(if I don't reposnd it is becasue I am having to use somebody else's internet at the mintue!)

Indie_Kid

She may now be entitled to pension credit, if they didn't already receive that?

Oldernotwiser

anmarj wrote: »

your mum will not get the £2000 payment as your dad was in recepit of a state pension, but her state pension will increase as she will inherit certain percentage of his. all this will be considered once the department have nofiticaiton of your dad's death.

Surely the reason the mother won't get the Bereavement Payment is because she herself is over retirement age rather than the fact that the father was?

Indie_Kid

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Surely the reason the mother won't get the Bereavement Payment is because she herself is over retirement age rather than the fact that the father was?

This is correct. Direct Gov says the claimant must be under state pension age.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Bereaved/DG_10018684

Comyface

anmarj wrote: »

her state pension will increase as she will inherit certain percentage of his. all this will be considered once the department have nofiticaiton of your dad's death.

Thanks.

Do we need to do anything to arrange this? She has filled in the form the Registrar gave us and sent it to the local jobcentre, just waiting to hear back.

McKneff

Comyface wrote: »

Thanks.

Do we need to do anything to arrange this? She has filled in the form the Registrar gave us and sent it to the local jobcentre, just waiting to hear back.

Why the job centre? I would have thought the DWP would have been the place to send it.

Comyface

McKneff wrote: »

Why the job centre? I would have thought the DWP would have been the place to send it.

Yes, me too! The instructions clearly stated to send it to your local JobCentrePlus, so we did. :cool:

anmarj

Comyface wrote: »

Yes, me too! The instructions clearly stated to send it to your local JobCentrePlus, so we did. :cool:

no it should of gone to the pension centre that deals with the pension but the registery office should of given you a pre paid envelope with their address on it. JC should send it on but will take time, if you call the Pension Service there is a dedicated bereavement line that takes all the details and that will speed things up.

anmarj

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Surely the reason the mother won't get the Bereavement Payment is because she herself is over retirement age rather than the fact that the father was?

no, the £2000 payment is considered on the deceased person entitlement

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Bereaved/DG_10018703

a man may get the payment if his late wife was claiming against his conts rather than her own and he can be over 65. its is either under state pension age or not in recipet of a cat a pension in their own right

AsknAnswer2

If she receives housing benefit, council tax benefit (not single occupancy discount) or Pension Credit, she may be able to get help toward the cost of the funeral. There are other benefits that qualify also for working age claimants.