Benefits and Bereavement

Benefits for you if you are a partner or child of the deceased

Depending on which of your loved ones has died your tax allowances, National Insurance and benefits may change.

You may need to make new claims for any benefits that your loved one was claiming for your family e.g. Universal Credit/Tax Credits and child benefit.

You may be able to claim other benefits: -

• Funeral Expenses payment if you are on a low income. Click for information on funeral payments.
• Bereavement Support Payment if your partner has died.  Until January 2023 this was only payable to married partners but this has now changed. If you were unmarried and your partner has died you are now entitled to payments and can claim back payments.  Please call the Bereavement Service for advice, but have a look at the following information first. Click for information on bereavement support payments.
• If your income has been reduced you may be entitled to income related benefits. Click for information about calculating benefits
• If you are now bringing up a child whose parents have died you could get Guardian’s allowance. Click for information on guardian's allowance.
• If a child has died you must tell the Child Benefit Office and HMRC if you claim Tax Credits. Click for information on child benefits and tax credit changes.

 

Who to notify if the deceased was receiving benefits

If you use the 'Tell us Once' service you will not need to notify the Department of Work and Pensions of the death of your loved one yourself as the Tell Us Once service will do this for you. However, there will be a few matters that you do need to deal with;

• If your loved one had or benefitted from a Motability car you will need to send the car back within 2 weeks of the death. Click here for advice on how to deal with this matter.
• If your loved one was a blue badge holder this must be returned to the Blue Badge Unit at your local council. Click here for information about dealing with blue badges.

TOP TIP

Benefits are very complex to deal with at the best of times. Please do seek help from the Government's website in the first instance as this will steer you in the right direction. Alternatively, visit your local Citizen's Advice Bureau.