Financial assistance

If you are in receipt of any kind of benefit from the government, you may be entitled to assistance to help you cope financially.

Whether the problems are short or long term, there is financial help available from the government. For further information from the official government website, please click here. For a brief summary, please see below.

Bereavement payment and allowance

If your husband, wife or civil partner has died you may be able to get bereavement payment, a one-off lump-sum payment of £2,000 that’s tax-free. After you’re widowed you may also be able to claim bereavement allowance, the taxable weekly benefit paid to you for up to fifty two weeks from the date of death of your husband, wife or civil partner.

Widowed parent’s allowance

If you’re a parent whose husband, wife or civil partner has died and you have a dependent child or young person for whom you receive child benefit, you may be able to get widowed parent’s allowance (WPA).

State pension

If both you and your husband, wife or civil partner were getting the basic state pension when they died, you may be able to use their National Insurance contributions to get extra basic pension.

Pneumoconiosis, byssinosis and miscellaneous diseases benefit

If your husband, wife or civil partner died as a result of pneumoconiosis, including asbestosis, byssinosis or certain other diseases which they got from work before 5th July 1948, then you can make a claim for benefit.

Industrial injuries benefit

If your husband, wife or civil partner was disabled as a result of an industrial accident or disease that occurred before their death and was not getting industrial injuries disablement benefit, you may be able to claim it for a period before their death.

War pensions and armed forces compensation scheme

A war widow’s or widower’s pension is a tax-free pension you may be entitled to if your wife, husband or civil partner died as a result of their service in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces or during a time of war. For those who served after 6th April 2005, the Armed Forces compensation scheme offers financial help.

Legal guardian’s allowance

Guardian’s allowance is a tax-free payment for people who are bringing up children whose parents have died. Child benefit is also a regular payment made to anyone bringing up a child or young person. It’s paid for each child that qualifies and isn’t affected by income or savings, so most people bringing up a child can get Child Benefit.

Maternity benefits

If you’re pregnant or have a new baby but don’t qualify for statutory maternity pay from any employer, you may be able to claim maternity allowance through the social security agency

Income support

Income support is extra money to help people on a low income. It’s for people who don’t have to sign on as unemployed. Whether you qualify or not and how much you get depends on your circumstances.

Jobseeker’s allowance

Jobseeker’s allowance is the main benefit for people of working age who are out of work or work less than 16 hours a week on average. If you’re eligible, it is paid while you’re looking for work.

Employment and support allowance

Employment and support allowance provides financial help to people who are unable to work because of illness or disability. It also provides personalised support to those who are able to work.

Tax credits

Tax credits are payments from the government. If you’re responsible for at least one child or young person, you may qualify for child tax credit. If you work, but are on a low income, you may qualify for working tax credit. You can often get both types of tax credits. These aren’t taxable.

Pension credit

If you’re a pensioner you may be entitled to pension credit – extra money each week. It’s made up of two elements – the ‘guarantee credit’ element and the ‘savings credit’ element (which may be payable from the age of 65). The age that you can get the guarantee credit is gradually going up for men and women from 60 to 65 between April 2010 and April 2020, in line with changes to women’s state pension age.

Lone pensioner allowance

Rate payers aged 70 or over and living alone may be entitled to a 20 per cent reduction in their rates. In addition, In northern Ireland only, people on low incomes, including pensioners, may receive a reduction in their rates through the Rate Relief Scheme.

Housing benefit

If you’re on a low income, whether you’re working or not, and need financial help to pay all or part of your rent or rates, you may be able to get housing benefit.

Help with health costs

Further help

For further help and advice from the government on financial assistance and bereavement benefits that you may be able to claim, please click here.

Please note

The information which we provide through Lasting Post is in outline for information or educational purposes only. The information is not a substitute for the professional judgment of a solicitor, accountant or other professional adviser. We cannot guarantee that information provided by Lasting Post will meet your individual needs, as this will very much depend on your individual circumstances. You should therefore use the information only as a starting point for your enquiries.