Widowed Parent's Allowance - Can I get Widowed Parent's Allowance?

If your husband, wife, civil partner or cohabiting partner died before 6 April 2017, you may be able to get Widowed Parent's Allowance. 

If your spouse, civil partner or cohabiting partner died on or after 6 April 2017, you may be able to claim Bereavement Support Payment instead. 

Married or in a registered civil partnership

You may be able to get Widowed Parent's Allowance, if:

• You're under State Pension age.
• You're entitled to Child Benefit
• Your partner paid national insurance contributions or if they died because of an industrial injury, their national insurance contributions might not matter. 

You cannot get Widowed Parent’s Allowance if you were divorced or if your civil partnership was dissolved or if you were living with someone else when your husband, wife or civil partner died.

If you were living apart from your spouse or civil partner when they died, you can still be eligible if your separation was only temporary. However, your eligibility will depend on the specific circumstances of your case.

Living together as though you were married (Cohabiting partnership)

If you were co-habiting with someone and had children together but weren’t married (cohabiting partnership), the law has changed and you can get Widowed Parent’s Allowance now.

You may be able to get Widowed Parent’s Allowance, if:

• You continued to meet the eligibility criteria on 30 August 2018 and:
  • You were under State Pension age.
  • You were entitled to Child Benefit
  • You were living with your partner as though you were married
• Your partner paid national insurance contributions or if they died because of an industrial injury, their national insurance contributions might not matter.

You cannot get Widowed Parent’s Allowance if you were no longer living with your partner or if you were living with someone else when your partner died.  

If your cohabiting partner died and you met the eligibility conditions at any time between 30 August 2018 and 9 February 2023, you need to have claimed by 8 February 2024 to get the maximum payment. If you missed this deadline, you can still apply, but your claim won't be backdated fully.

Starting a new relationship

If you remarry, enter a new civil partnership, or start living with a new partner, your Widowed Parent’s Allowance will stop. Unfortunately, you can't get it back if you later separate, divorce, or end the civil partnership. However, if you began living with a new partner before 9 February 2023, your allowance will be paused but can be reinstated if you split up later.

Widowed Parent’s Allowance is paid until you stop getting Child Benefit.