Widowed Parent’s Allowance ( WPA ) has been replaced by Bereavement Support Payment .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. This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg) . 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’re under State Pension age your partner paid National Insurance contributions , or they died because of an accident at work or a disease caused by work you’re entitled to Child Benefit for at least one child You may also claim WPA if you were pregnant when your partner died, or you were pregnant after fertility treatment when your partner died. When you cannot claim WPA You cannot claim WPA if you: were divorced or had ended your civil partnership when your partner died were no longer living with your partner when they died have remarried or formed a new civil partnership are living with another person as if you’re married or in a civil partnership with them were over State Pension age when your partner died – you may be able to get extra State Pension are in prison

The amount you get is based on how much your partner paid in National Insurance contributions. The maximum Widowed Parent’s Allowance ( WPA ) 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 National Insurance contributions. You’ll continue to get WPA until you either: stop being entitled to Child Benefit reach State Pension age How WPA is paid WPA is usually paid into your bank, building society or credit union account . Report changes that affect 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 Incapacity Benefit Jobseeker’s Allowance Carer’s Allowance Carer Support Payment Employment and Support Allowance Universal Credit 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.

If you live in England, Scotland or Wales You need to either: download and fill in form BB1 , if you and your partner were married or in a civil partnership when they died download and fill in form BB2 , if you and your partner were living together as though you were married or in a civil partnership when they died Send your completed form to: Dover Benefit Centre Post Handling Site B Wolverhampton WV99 1LA Other ways to apply Call the Bereavement Service helpline to ask for alternative formats of the application pack, such as braille, large print or audio CD. Bereavement Service helpline Telephone: 0800 151 2012 Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 151 2012 Welsh language: 0800 731 0453 British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet Textphone: 0800 731 0464 Welsh language: 0800 731 0456 Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm Find out about call charges If you live in Northern Ireland Call the Bereavement Service in Northern Ireland and choose option 3. You can also download and fill in a Widowed Parent’s Allowance claim form . Send it to the address on the claim form. If you live abroad Contact the International Pension Centre to find out if you can claim if you’ve moved abroad. International Pension Centre Telephone: +44 191 21 87608 Find out about call charges Department for Work and Pensions Bereavement and widows’ benefits International Pension Centre Tyneview Park Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE98 1BA You must include your: full name date of birth National Insurance number (if you know it) If you disagree with a decision You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for ‘mandatory reconsideration’.

If your circumstances change

You must tell Dover Benefit Centre if you: stop being entitled to Child Benefit remarry or form a civil partnership start to live with a partner as husband or wife, or as if you had formed a civil partnership Dover Benefit Centre Telephone: 0800 151 2012 Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 151 2012 British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm Find out about call charges Dover Benefit Centre Post Handling Site B Wolverhampton WV99 1LA If you live in Northern Ireland, tell the Bereavement Benefits section instead. 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 how to repay the money you owe from benefit overpayment .

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.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

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’re under State Pension age
your partner paid National Insurance contributions, or they died because of an accident at work or a disease caused by work
you’re entitled to Child Benefit for at least one child

You may also claim WPA if you were pregnant when your partner died, or you were pregnant after fertility treatment when your partner died.

When you cannot claim WPA

You cannot claim WPA if you:

were divorced or had ended your civil partnership when your partner died
were no longer living with your partner when they died
have remarried or formed a new civil partnership
are living with another person as if you’re married or in a civil partnership with them
were over State Pension age when your partner died – you may be able to get extra State Pension
are in prison

View a printable version of the whole guide

Widowed Parent's Allowance

Eligibility

When you cannot claim WPA

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Widowed Parent's Allowance

Eligibility

When you cannot claim WPA

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