Rates and duration
There are two rates of Bereavement Support Payment, and the difference between them is large: the higher rate is worth more than twice the lower rate over the full run. Which rate you get depends on your circumstances when your partner died, not on your income, your rent, or how much you ask for. This page sets out both rates, how the higher rate is decided, and how long payments last.
The two rates
| Rate | One-off payment | Monthly payments | Maximum total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Higher rate | £3,500 | £350 a month for up to 18 months | £9,800 |
| Lower rate | £2,500 | £100 a month for up to 18 months | £4,300 |
Both rates were confirmed on GOV.UK when checked on 25 October 2026, and they are the same figures that have applied since the benefit began in 2017. They are not uprated automatically each year in the way that some benefits are, so do not assume that a figure quoted in an old article has moved. If GOV.UK shows different figures when you check, the GOV.UK figures are the ones that count.
Who gets the higher rate?
If you were married or in a civil partnership, you get the higher rate if, when your partner died, you were getting Child Benefit for a child who lived with you, you had been told by the Child Benefit Office that you were entitled to Child Benefit for a child who lived with you even if you chose not to receive it, or you were pregnant. The test is about entitlement to Child Benefit, not about the age of the child in isolation, and not about whether you were the parent who actually received the money, provided you take the steps explained on the children page. If none of those conditions applied, you get the lower rate.
If you were living together as if you were married, GOV.UK states the maximum differently: the most you can get is the higher-rate package, a one-off payment of £3,500 and 18 monthly payments of £350. That surprises people who expect a cohabiting claim to be treated as a lesser case. It is not. But the cohabiting route carries its own Child Benefit or pregnancy condition, described on the who qualifies and children pages, so read those pages together with this one before assuming the higher rate applies.
How long do payments last?
Monthly payments run for up to 18 months from the death, not for 18 months from the date you claim. That distinction is the whole reason late claiming costs money: the clock starts at the death, and months that pass before you claim are months you do not get back, as the backdating page explains in detail. The one-off payment is normally paid early in the claim, and the monthly payments follow into your bank, building society or credit union account. Payments stop early if you reach State Pension age within the 18 months. They do not stop because you remarry, form a new partnership, move house, or start work. They are not affected by your earnings.
Worked examples, with assumptions stated
Example 1, higher rate, prompt claim. Assumptions: a surviving civil partner, entitled to Child Benefit when her partner died, under State Pension age throughout, claiming within 3 months of the death, and meeting every other condition. She receives £3,500 plus 18 payments of £350, a total of £9,800, tax-free.
Example 2, lower rate, prompt claim. Assumptions: a widower with no dependent children and no pregnancy at the time of death, under State Pension age throughout, claiming within 3 months, and meeting every other condition. He receives £2,500 plus 18 payments of £100, a total of £4,300, tax-free.
Example 3, reaching State Pension age. Assumptions: a widow who reaches State Pension age 10 months after her partner's death, on the lower rate, claiming promptly. She receives the £2,500 lump sum and monthly payments only until she reaches State Pension age, so her total is less than £4,300. The exact number of monthly payments depends on the dates, and the Department confirms it on the award.
None of these examples is a guarantee. They illustrate the arithmetic of the published rates under the stated assumptions. Your own award depends on your dates, your Child Benefit position, and the Department's decision.
Sources: GOV.UK, Bereavement Support Payment (eligibility, what you will get, how to claim), checked 25 October 2026; DWP Bereavement Support Payment claim notes; House of Commons Library, Bereavement Support Payment (CBP-7887).