Updated: Govt extends Bereavement Support Payment term but questions remain

clock • 4 min read

The government has announced that the new Bereavement Support Payment which comes into effect in April this year will be extended from 1 year to 18 months, although payments are now lower on a monthly basis.

This was a recommendation of the Committee in its Support for the bereaved report in March 2016 on bereavement benefits. The reforms come into effect from 6 April 2017 and is now one benefit which replaces bereavement payment, bereavement allowance and widowed parent"s allowance. Caroline Nokes MP, minster for welfare delivery, said of the changes: "The old system could be unfair, complex and also act as trap preventing people from moving on with their lives.  "That"s why we are modernising this support into a simple, uniform and easy-to-understand benefit that better reflects soci...

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