Social Security Benefits: Families

(asked on 8th July 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to provide additional financial support to bereaved families where the principal earner has died as a result of covid-19.


Answered by
Mims Davies Portrait
Mims Davies
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
This question was answered on 13th July 2020

DWP has a range of financial support available for bereaved families.

Bereavement Support Payment provides short-term financial support to working age people whose deceased spouse or civil partner has paid sufficient National Insurance contributions. It is intended to help with the immediate costs of bereavement and can be paid to both widows and widowers. Recipients with children can receive an initial payment of £3,500 and up to 18 monthly payments of £350, whilst those without can receive an initial payment of £2,500 and up to 18 monthly instalments of £100. It is not taxable and is paid on top of any income-related benefits the household receives thus not disadvantaging low income families. It can be paid regardless of whether the surviving spouse or civil partner is in work.

The Funeral Expenses Payments scheme provides an important contribution towards the cost of funeral for claimants in receipt of certain income based benefits or tax credits. The Funeral Expenses Payment pays for the necessary costs of a funeral including the burial or cremation fees in full and in April 2020 the additional element that can help with other costs, such as a coffin or the services of a funeral director, was increased from £700 to £1000.

For those that need support for ongoing living costs, from 6 April 2020 the Government increased the standard allowance in Universal Credit by £86.67 per month (equivalent to £20 per week) for one year on top of the planned annual uprating. This additional increase means that claimants may be up to £1040 better off, depending on their circumstances. This applies to all new and existing Universal Credit claimants.

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