Social welfare legislation currently provides for certain social welfare payments (see list below) to continue to be paid for 6 weeks after either the customer or a qualified adult or child dependant of the customer dies. Whether a payment will continue to be paid after death will depend on whether or not the claimant meets the qualifying criteria. These are explained in the supporting Guidelines here. This guideline supplements the information in the Guideline on Payment-related Issues here.
List of payments that may continue to be paid for 6 weeks after death, subject to meeting qualification criteria are: |
Blind Pension |
Farm Assist |
Invalidity Pension |
State Pension (Contributory) |
Carer's Benefit |
Illness Benefit |
Jobseekers Allowance |
State Pension (Non-Contributory |
Death Benefit under the Occupational Injury Scheme |
Incapacity Supplement |
Jobseekers Benefit |
|
Injury Benefit |
One Parent Family Payment (OPFP)*1 |
Widow, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension (WWSCPcP)*1 |
|
Note*1: As the existing provisions for WWSCPcP and OPFP payments do not provide for ‘increase for a qualified adult’ payments, the prospect of a ‘related person’ being entitled to a continued payment after the person’s death does not arise. However, if a lone parent in receipt of either payment that includes an ‘increase for a qualified child’ (IQC), is entitled to a continuing payment if the child dies.
Note 2: Carer's Allowance payment is different. This may be paid to the qualified carer for 12 weeks after a care recipient dies.
Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension is a social insurance payment for both widows and widowers. It is not means-tested, and therefore entitlement is not affected by other income you might have such as earnings, an occupational pension or a pension from your late spouse's employment. This pension is taxable but you are unlikely to pay tax if it is your only income.
If you are widowed and aged under 66 with qualified children and you do not qualify for a Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension, you should apply for a One-Parent Family Payment.
If you are widowed and do not qualify for a Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension based on either your own or your late spouse's insurance record, you may qualify for a Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension. This is a means-tested payment and we take account of any income you have when deciding if you qualify.
If you have qualified children, you may qualify for a One-Parent Family Payment which is also means-tested .
If your late spouse/civil partner died as a result of an occupational injury or prescribed occupational disease or had been in receipt of a Disablement Pension for loss of half their physical or mental abilities, you may have an entitlement to Death Benefit instead of a Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Contributory Pension.
A Widowed or Surviving Civil Partner Grant is a once-off payment for widows, widowers and surviving civil partners with qualified children, to provide income support after the death of their spouse/civil partner.
If someone dies at work, a 'Special Funeral Grant' is available under the Occupational Injuries Benefits scheme.