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  2. Government, citizens and rights
  3. Births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships
  4. Death and bereavement
  5. Benefits, property and money

Financial help for the bereaved

A death in the family can cause money problems for those who are left. Whether the problems are short or long term, there is financial help available.

Bereavement Support Payment

Bereavement Support Payment gives financial help to deal with the more immediate costs caused by the death of a spouse or civil partner.

  • Bereavement Support Payment

Funeral Expenses Payment

If you're on a low income and need help to pay for a funeral you are arranging, you may be able to get a Funeral Expenses Payment from the Social Fund. You might have to repay some or all of it from the deceased person’s estate.

  • Funeral Expenses Payment

Child Funeral Fund

The Child Funeral Fund is available as a one-off lump sum payment to cover the expense of a funeral for the death of a child under the age of 18, or stillborn after week 24 of pregnancy.

There is no entitlement to the Child Funeral Fund where a payment has already been made for the expenses associated with the cost of the funeral by any other Government funeral expenses or bereavement schemes.

State Pension

If both you and your husband, wife or civil partner were getting the basic state pension when they died, you may be able to use their National Insurance contributions to get extra basic pension.

Find out more about the State Pension.

Industrial Injuries Benefit

If your husband, wife or civil partner was disabled as a result of an industrial accident or disease that occurred before their death and was not getting Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, you may be able to claim it for a period before their death.

Find out more about Industrial Injuries Benefit.

War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme

A War Widow's or Widower's Pension is a tax-free pension you may be entitled to if your wife, husband or civil partner died as a result of their service in Her Majesty's (HM) Armed Forces or during a time of war.

For those who served after 6 April 2005, the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme offers financial help.

Guardian's Allowance

Guardian's Allowance is a tax-free payment for people who are bringing up children whose parents have died.

Find out more about Guardian's Allowance

Other benefits available

Other benefits and help are available depending on your circumstances.

You may be able to claim certain benefits and one-off payments if you lived with or were dependent on the deceased. Time limits may apply. To have a benefit eligibility check carried out, contact ‘Make the Call’.

Or you can contact your local Jobs and Benefits Office.

  • Understanding the benefits system

Housing Benefit

If you're on a low income, whether you're working or not, and need financial help to pay all or part of your rent or rates, you may be able to get Housing Benefit, Lone Pensioner Allowance, or Rate Relief.

Find out about Housing Benefit and Rate Relief.

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Benefits, property and money

  • Bereavement Service - reporting a death
  • Dealing with a deceased person's money and property
  • Dealing with the deceased's rented home
  • Debt when someone dies
  • Financial help for the bereaved
  • Funeral Expenses Payments
  • Inheriting private property

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What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email 
dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email 
customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

  • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
  • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

  • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
    contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
     
  • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
    contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

 

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

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