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Widowed Parent's Allowance
The Widowed Parent’s Allowance is a weekly benefit paid to widows who are pregnant, or to widows and widowers who have children to look after.
You cannot claim the Widowed Parent’s Allowance and Bereavement Allowance at the same time, but you may become entitled to the Bereavement Allowance when your entitlement to the Widowed Parent’s Allowance ceases.
If you are aged 45 or over, and you do not have children to look after, you should make a claim for the Bereavement Allowance instead.
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Do I qualify?
You will qualify for the Widowed Parent’s Allowance if:
- You are a widow or widower whose spouse died on or after the 9 April 2001, and you were aged under pension age (e.g. 60 if you’re a woman, 65 if you’re a man) when your late spouse died; and either
- Your spouse had made sufficient National Insurance Contributions throughout their working life; or
- Your spouse died as a result of an industrial injury or disease, connected directly or indirectly to work; and either
- You are responsible for a child or children for whom you’re entitled to claim Child Benefit; or
- You are a widow and you are pregnant by your late husband, or you were living with your husband immediately before his death and you are pregnant as a result of artificial insemination by a donor or in vitro fertilisation which was carried out before your late husbands death.
How much will I receive?
The Widowed Parent’s Allowance is made up of a basic allowance for the widow or widower, and an additional amount for each dependant child*. The amounts that you can expect to receive from the Widowed Parent’s Allowance are:
Basic Widowed Parent’s Allowance………………£84.25
For the eldest eligible child………………………..£ 9.40
For each additional child…………………………..£11.35
*From April 2004, child dependency increases have been abolished and replaced with the Child Tax Credit. However, if you were in receipt of a child dependency increase before this date, you will continue to receive it under transitional protection. If you are applying for the Widowed Parent’s Allowance on or after 6 April 2004 and you are responsible for a child, you should also apply for the Child tax Credit.
How do I claim?
You will need to complete the Bereavement Benefits claim pack (BB1) in order to make your claim.
You can obtain the Bereavement Benefits claim pack (BB1) by contacting your nearest Jobcentre Plus office.
Alternatively, you can download the claim pack from the Department for Work and Pensions website by logging on to www.dwp.gov.uk, or by clicking your mouse on the following link:
Please click here to download the Bereavement Benefits claim pack (BB1).
Is there anything else I should know?
In addition to the Widowed Parent’s Allowance, you may also be entitled to claim the Bereavement Payment – for more information, please click here
You may also receive an additional earnings-related payment based on your late spouse’s earnings under the Additional State Pension Scheme, providing that their National Insurance Contribution (NIC) record qualifies you for this.
Your entitlement to the Widowed Parent’s Allowance will cease if you remarry and you cannot re-qualify for it (even if you later get divorced). It is also suspended for any time that you spend co-habiting, but it will be re-instated if you stop co-habiting.
If you are eligible to claim Widowed Parent’s Allowance, then you will also qualify for a Christmas Bonus – for more information, please click here
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