How should families protect themselves under the new Bereavement Benefits system?

clock • 3 min read

Richard Walsh discusses the recent changes to Bereavement Benefit and how family income benefit could be a solution.

From April 2017 the Government is changing the rules on bereavement support for new claimants.  Existing ones will carry on under the previous regime. Under the old system there were three benefits. These are now combined into one "bereavement support payment". First there was a lump sum of £2,000 provided that you were under pension age and your spouse, or civil partner, had paid NI contributions on earnings equal to 25 times the lower earnings limit in any one year.  Although if they died as a result of an industrial accident then that was not required. Under the new system a fam...

To continue reading this article...

Join COVER for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, key trend analysis and industry insights.
  • Stay on top of the latest developments around health and wellbeing, diversity and inclusion and the cost of living crisis.
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletter.
  • Members only access to monthly programme 'The COVER Review'
  • Be the first to hear about our CPD accredited events and awards programmes.

Join now

 

Already a Cover member?

Login

More on Individual Protection

COVER Customer Care Conference 2026: In pictures

COVER Customer Care Conference 2026: In pictures

Event on 1 July

COVER
clock 02 July 2026 • 1 min read
COVER Customer Care Conference 2026: Roundup

COVER Customer Care Conference 2026: Roundup

COVER hosted its Customer Care Conference today (1 July, 2026), focussing on supporting customers beyond the policy.

Jaskeet Briah
clock 01 July 2026 • 5 min read
Third of adults are not confident on coping with financial shocks

Third of adults are not confident on coping with financial shocks

The Exeter research findings

Jaskeet Briah
clock 24 June 2026 • 2 min read