Widowed Parent's Allowance
If you’re a parent whose partner died before 6 April 2017 and you have at least one child you are entitled to Child Benefit for, you may be able to get Widowed Parent's Allowance.
Eligibility
Widowed Parent’s Allowance (WPA) has been replaced by Bereavement Support Payment. If you already get WPA, your payments will continue until you are no longer eligible.
You can only make a new claim for WPA if your partner died before 6 April 2017.
When they died, you and your partner must have either been:
- married or in a civil partnership
- living together as though you were married or in a civil partnership
If you were married or in a civil partnership, your partner must also have only recently been declared dead. You’ll need to confirm the cause of death.
All the following must also apply:
- you are under State Pension age
- you’re entitled to Child Benefit for at least one child
- your partner paid National Insurance contributions or they died because of an accident at work or a disease caused by work
You may also claim WPA if you were pregnant when your partner died, or you became pregnant through fertility treatment after your partner died.
You cannot claim WPA if you:
- were divorced from your husband, wife or civil partner when they died
- have remarried or are living with another person as if you’re married to them or as if you’ve formed a civil partnership
- were over State Pension age when your partner died – you may be able to get extra State Pension
- are in prison
How much you will get
The amount you get is based on how much your partner paid in National Insurance contributions. The maximum basic Widowed Parent’s Allowance is £148.40 a week.
If your partner died because of an accident at work or a disease caused by work, you may claim WPA even if they did not pay the National Insurance contributions.
You’ll continue to get WPA until you either:
- stop being entitled to Child Benefit
- reach State Pension age
- you marry, remarry or form a civil partnership
- you start to live with a partner as husband or wife, or as if you had formed a civil partnership
How WPA is paid
WPA is usually paid into your bank, building society or credit union account.
Effect on other benefits
Other benefit payments you get, may change when you start claiming WPA.
Once you get WPA, you must report it if you’re getting any of the following:
- Income Support
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Universal Credit
This list is not exhaustive
If you do not report changes straight away, you could be paid the wrong amount and have to pay it back. You might also have to pay a fine.
The benefit cap
The benefit cap limits the total amount of benefit you can get. It applies to most people aged 16 or over who have not reached State Pension age.
Some individual benefits are not affected, but it may affect the total amount of benefit you get.
To claim, phone Widowed Parent's Allowance on freephone 0800 085 2463. You can also download an application form
If you disagree with a decision
You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for ‘mandatory reconsideration’.
What to do if your circumstances change
You must tell the Bereavement Benefits section if your circumstances change, for example:
- you stop being entitled to Child Benefit
- you marry, remarry or form a civil partnership
- you start to live with a partner as husband or wife, or as if you had formed a civil partnership
If you’ve been paid too much
You may have to repay the money if you:
- did not report a change straight away
- gave wrong information
- were overpaid by mistake
Find out more information on over-payments of benefits and financial support.