Bereavement benefit

Bereavement benefit is paid to the widow/widower and/or orphans of a person who has died.

Bereavement benefit replaced Widow's benefit in the United Kingdom in April 2001. It is a social security benefit that is designed to support people who have recently lost their spouse, and need some financial support to help them get back on their feet. A similar benefit is provided in Malta in accordance to the Widows and Orphans Pension Act of 1927.

The qualifying conditions are as follows:

It is required that the deceased and the claimant be married at the time of death.

Bereavement benefit consists of 2 parts, firstly:

Secondly:

None of these benefits are payable if the claimant is under 45, or over state pension age, although the bereavement payment of £2,000 may be payable if the deceased was not in receipt of a category A state pension.

In Ireland, a window/widower is able to receive the Widow's/Widower's (Contributory) Pension (Pinsean Ranníocach Baintrí (Fir agus Mná)), the Bereavement Grant (Deontas Báis), the Widowed Parents Grant (Deontas Báis Bhaintrí/Bhaintrí Fir) and/or the Special Funeral Grant (Deontas Speiseálta Sochraide).

Payments for the Widow's/Widower's Pension are as follows:

For each child dependant, €22.00 (€24.00 from January 2008) is added.

More information on the Widow's/Widower's Pension scheme can be found here.

The Bereavement Grant is a simple one-off payment of €850, given after a death to the deceased's family. More information can be found here and here.

The Widowed Parents Grant is another one-off payment of €6,000, given to widows/widowers with one or more child dependants living with them. However, there are other rules regarding the payment; more information can be found here.

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Wikipedia