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Widowed Parent's Allowance
If you’re a parent whose husband, wife or civil partner has died and you have at least one child who you receive Child Benefit for, you may be able to get Widowed Parent's Allowance (WPA).
Who can claim?
You may get WPA if all the following apply:
- you're bringing up a child or young person under 19 (or under 20 in some cases for whom you're getting Child Benefit
- you're under State Pension age (60 for women and 65 for men)
- your husband, wife or civil partner died
- your husband, wife or civil partner paid National Insurance contributions (NICs)
You may also claim WPA if:
- you're expecting your late husband's baby or your late civil partner's baby (with whom you were pregnant from fertility treatment)
- your husband, wife or civil partner died as a result of their work - even if they didn't pay NICs
Who can't claim?
You can't claim if:
- you were divorced from your husband or wife or the civil partnership had dissolved when the civil partner died
- you remarry or are living with a partner as husband and wife or as if you had formed a civil partnership
- you're in prison
How much do you get?
£95.25 a week is the maximum basic allowance of Widowed Parent’s Allowance. There may be an entitlement to additional pension.
How it's paid
Widowed Parent's Allowance can be paid directly into your bank, building society, Post Office® or National Savings account that accepts Direct Payments.
If you're blind or need someone who cares for you to collect the money, you can be sent a cheque to cash at the Post Office®.
From April 2009 Jobcentre Plus are introducing changes to the day and how often you are paid Widowed Parent's Allowance. The changes could move the day you are paid, this day will be determined by your National Insurance number. The changes also mean you will be paid at least every two weeks. For more information follow the link below.
Effect on other benefits
If you're already getting any of the following benefits, the amount of your payments may change once you start to get Widowed Parent's Allowance:
- Income Support
- Incapacity Benefit
- Jobseeker's Allowance
- Carer's Allowance
- Employment and Support Allowance
The office that deals with your claim will explain how this works.
Bereavement Allowance
If you're aged at least 45 but under State Pension age and your Widowed Parent's Allowance ends within 52 weeks of your bereavement, you may be able to get Bereavement Allowance.
How to claim
You can order a Bereavement Benefits claim pack, form BB1 over the telephone from your nearest Jobcentre Plus office. The pack also has help notes on how to complete the claim form.
Download a claim form to print off and fill in
You can also download the form from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) website.
Once you’ve completed the form, send it to your nearest Jobcentre Plus office as soon as possible.
Claims can only be backdated three months and are dated when the office gets them, so if you delay you may lose benefit.
What to do if your circumstances change
It's important you tell your local Jobcentre Plus or Social Security office if your circumstances change, for example if:
- you remarry
- you start to live with a partner as husband and wife or as if you had formed a civil partnership
What else you need to know
You'll need to prove your identity when making a claim. You'll also have to answer questions about your circumstances and show official documents to support the information.
