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Change of circumstances - Bereavement

How benefits may be effected following a bereavement

When a person dies on or after 9 April 2001 the surviving spouse or civil partner may be able to get a Bereavement Payment and either Widowed Parent's Allowance; or Bereavement Allowance.

For all of these benefits the persons late spouse or civil partner must have met the National Insurance contributions conditions.

What is changing?

The age condition for women will rise from 60 to 65 from April 2010. The age condition relating to the survivor being under pensionable age when the late spouse or civil partner died will rise from 65 to 68 in line with the increase in State Pension age (SPa) between 2024 and 2046.

Existing contribution conditions will continue to apply to the calculation of bereavement benefit irrespective of the contributor’s age at date of death.

How to claim Bereavement Benefits

A separate claim is not needed for each benefit. One claim covers all three of the Bereavement Benefits.

When the death of the late spouse is registered the bereaved person will be given a certificate of registration of death (form BD8). This form is for Social Security purposes only.

To claim Bereavement benefits the bereaved person should fill in the form on the back of the certificate and send or take it to the Pensions Service, Windsor House or the nearest Social Security or Jobs & Benefit Office. They will then be given a claim form (BB1) which should be completed and sent back as soon as possible.

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