Widowed parent’s benefits

Widowed parents can currently get monthly state benefits for up to 18 years until their children are grown up. Those over 45, childless and below pensionable age can also get monthly support for up to a year.

The maximum Widowed Parents Allowance is currently £111.20 a week, on top of a one-off lump sum of £2,000. Reforms due to take effect in 2016 will mean that any parent who is widowed will receive a lump sum of £5,000 and monthly payments for one year only, shifting support from long to short-term. Bereavement charities say that around 75% of people affected by the change will be worse off.

Impact on other benefits

Income Support, Incapacity Benefit, Employment and Support Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Pension Credit are reduced by the amount of Widowed Parent’s Allowance or Bereavement Allowance paid. These payments are also taken into account when calculating Working Tax Credit, Housing Benefit and Income Support.