Widowed Parents Allowance - "Has your partner passed away since 9 April 2001?"

stardust23

I read Martin's tweet, on 24th May, highlighting the article "Has your partner passed away since 9 April 2001?" and decided to look at the relevant MSE web page :-

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/bereavement-support-payment/#WPA

I received WPA when my wife died in July 2004, leaving our child, but I apparently lost WPA when I lived North America from March 2009 until September 2011.

Is that correct, though, because WPA is dependent on the late spouse's N.I. records, so why should it matter if I was not in the UK?  And I continued paying Tax (both Income and Capital Gains) while I was out of the UK, as well.

p00hsticks

were you actually informed that you were no longer eligible for the payments, or did they just stop ?
Presumably you did not challenge the decision at the time or chase up the reason for the payments stopping at the time ?
did you continue to get Child Benefit while abroad (as I understand it that's one of the criteria for eligibilty for WPA) ?

stardust23

p00hsticks said:

were you actually informed that you were no longer eligible for the payments, or did they just stop ?
Presumably you did not challenge the decision at the time or chase up the reason for the payments stopping at the time ?
did you continue to get Child Benefit while abroad (as I understand it that's one of the criteria for eligibilty for WPA) ?

The MSE website states that a person doesn't need to get CHB, just qualify it.  So I didn't get it while I was apart.

Jyana

Yes, you just need to continue to be entitled to child benefit in order to claim the allowance. The rules for being entitled to continue your Child Benefit if you move abroad are here, if that's any help.  Canada, for example, is one of the Northern American countries that allow you to continue claiming under certain circumstances.