Widowed Parent's
Allowance
Key information
Widowed Parent's Allowance is a weekly
benefit for widows, widowers, or surviving civil partners who have
a dependent child or are pregnant.
Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland and
Northern Ireland
Age rules: You must have been under state
pension age when your partner died
Type of benefit: Non means tested
Taxable: Yes
Administered by: JobCentre Plus
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Who does it help?
If your husband, wife or civil partner dies and you have got
dependent children under the age of 19 (or 20 if you are still
getting Child Benefit for them), or are
pregnant with your husband's baby, you may be able to get Widowed
Parent's Allowance.
You could also get it if you are a woman who was living with her
civil partner when she died and you are pregnant as a result of
fertility treatment.
Widowed Parent's Allowance depends on the national insurance
contributions of your husband, wife or civil partner. It does not
matter if you have not paid national insurance contributions
yourself. If your husband, wife or civil partner died because
of an industrial injury, their national insurance contributions
might not matter.
You cannot get Widowed Parent's Allowance if you are divorced or
if your civil partnership is dissolved or if you were living with
someone else when your husband, wife or civil partner died.
You may also be entitled to a Bereavement Payment.
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What help does it provide?
You get a weekly cash payment that you can spend as you
want.
Widowed Parent's Allowance is paid until you stop getting
Child Benefit. If you are aged 45 or over, but below
state pension age, you may be able to get Bereavement Allowance if your Widowed
Parent's Allowance ends because you stop qualifying for Child
Benefit but you're still within 52 weeks of your bereavement.
Payment of Widowed Parent’s Allowance will also end if, for
example, you get married, register a civil partnership or start
living with someone as a couple.
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How much does it pay?
Widowed Parent’s Allowance is made up of a basic allowance which
depends on your late husband, wife or civil partner's national
insurance contributions (unless they died because of an industrial
injury or disease). In some cases, an additional payment based on
your late husband, wife or civil partner's earnings
is made.
The full basic allowance rate of Widowed Parent's
Allowance is £105.95 a week.
If you receive Widowed Parent's Allowance you also qualify
for a Christmas Bonus each year. This is usually £10. You do
not need to make a claim for the bonus it is paid automatically. It
does not affect any other benefits you might get.
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How do I make a claim?
In England and Wales, the DWP Bereavement Service allows you to
report a death to the DWP in a single phone call. This allows you
to stop any DWP benefits the person who died was getting.
At the same time, the Bereavement Service can do a benefit check
to find out if you can claim any benefits and take a claim for
bereavement benefits or a funeral payment over the phone.
The contact details of the DWP Bereavement Service are:
Tel: 0845 606 0265
Textphone: 0845 606 0285
Tel: 0845 606 0275 (Welsh)
Textphone: 0845 606 0295 (Welsh).
If you want to make a claim yourself download
a claim form from the Directgov website (link opens a new
window)
or phone Jobcentre Plus for a claim form:
Telephone: 0800 055 6688
Textphone: 0800 023 4888
Welsh language line: 0800 012 1888
In Northern Ireland
Phone the Pension Service for a claim form:
Telephone: 0808 100 2658
Textphone: 0808 100 2198
Contact your local
Social Security/Jobs and Benefits Office (link opens in a new
window) for a claim form
Download
a claim form from the NI Direct website (link opens in a new
window)
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Backdating rules
Widowed Parent’s Allowance can be backdated for up to three
months if you would have been entitled to it earlier. It does not
matter why your claim is late. Request this when claiming.
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What documents will I need?
You must give your national insurance number as well as your
partner's together with proof of who you are, for example, a
driving licence. You may also have to supply your husband,
wife or civil partner's death certificate, your marriage or civil
partnership certificate and your child's birth certificate or other
documents to support your claim for Widowed Parent's
Allowance. However, if you do not have these, you should not
delay your claim.
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Challenging decisions
If you disagree with the decision made on your benefit claim you
can ask for a written statement of reasons. If you still believe
the decision is wrong, for example due to incorrect information
being used, you can ask for it to be looked at again, and/or
appeal.
The time limits are strict, you will usually be given one
month to dispute a decision, so it is important to seek advice and
act quickly.
Further information on Challenges and
complaints
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Change of circumstances
You must report changes in your circumstances
which might affect your entitlement to this benefit.
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This information has been produced by Citizens
Advice.
Last updated: 9 April 2012
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