Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will extend bereavement support payment to people who were cohabiting but were not married or in a civil partnership when one partner dies.

The Supreme Court has ruled it incompatible with ECHR principles to provide that certain cohabitees with children are not entitled to Widowed Parent’s Allowance.

The ruling applies to Widowed Parent’s Allowance only. It does not apply to Bereavement Support Payment.

However, we are carefully considering the Court’s judgment and how the Department should proceed in the light of this. When we have looked at all the options, I will come before the House to update Parliament further on this matter.