DWP urges parents to claim backdated payments before it’s too late

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In February the Government extended eligibility for bereavement support payment and widowed parent’s allowance to cohabiting parents with dependent children – benefits which are designed to help with the financial impact of losing a partner. After this it will not be possible to claim widowed parent’s allowance and parents will not get their full entitlement to a backdated payment of bereavement support payment. We encourage anyone who thinks they might be eligible to look into this Alison Penny, Childhood Bereavement Network If their partner died on or after April 6 2017, they would need to claim bereavement support payment, which has replaced widowed parent’s allowance. Parents can claim bereavement support payment online via gov.uk, over the phone or through a paper application form.