Guide discussion: Bereavement Support Payments

antiswizzle

My partner died age 50 in April 2017, just after the new Bereavement Support Payment came in. We weren't married so I was not eligible to claim a single penny.
After finding out about the changes I was hopeful I might be able to claim. Ive now been a single parent for nearly 7 years with not a penny of benefits claimed in that time.
Anyway I was aware that there was a limit to how much could be backvdated but still hoped I might get at least the one off payment. I received my letter today. I get £700. So as a bereaved parent discriminated against for not being married, Im still in the same boat. This change means that its pot luck what you get depending on when your partner died. How can that be right?

sheramber

As your partner died after 6 April 2017 you are eligible for bereavement support.

You are entitled to £350 per month for 18 months less the number of months between the date of death and 29 August 2018. 

The remedial took effect from 30 August 2018. 

As there are 16 months between April 2027 and 29 August 2018 your are eligible for two months of £350.

The government made the rules so any complaint should be referred to your MP.

Dazed_and_C0nfused

antiswizzle said:

My partner died age 50 in April 2017, just after the new Bereavement Support Payment came in. We weren't married so I was not eligible to claim a single penny.
After finding out about the changes I was hopeful I might be able to claim. Ive now been a single parent for nearly 7 years with not a penny of benefits claimed in that time.
Anyway I was aware that there was a limit to how much could be backvdated but still hoped I might get at least the one off payment. I received my letter today. I get £700. So as a bereaved parent discriminated against for not being married, Im still in the same boat. This change means that its pot luck what you get depending on when your partner died. How can that be right?

Why haven't you claimed Child Benefit?

That's likely to have been worth best part of £10k over those 7 years.