Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to extend Bereavement Support Payment to people who were cohabiting but were not married or in a civil partnership; and if she will make a statement.

Bereavement Benefits are contributory benefits and it is a founding principle of the contributory benefits system that rights derived from another person’s contributions should be based on the concept of legal marriage or civil partnership.