Raise Bereavement Support Payment and extend beyond 18 months

Petitions/Raise Bereavement Support Payment and extend beyond 18 months

StatusOngoing

Opened8 Jan 2026

Closes—

Government responseResponded

Parliamentary debateAwaiting a date

Milestones✓ 10,000✓ 100,000

Reform Bereavement Support Payment so families with and without dependent children receive help beyond 18 months, with annual uprating to reflect cost of living.

BSP ends after 18 months and is not uprated, which can leave widowed families in financial hardship for years. I lost my husband in May 2025, gave up my career to care for him, and now earn less than 25% of our previous income while raising two young children. Previous Widowed Parent’s Allowance lasted until Child Benefit ended, offering stability. We feel that BSP ignores long-term income loss and emotional strain.

108,709Total signatures

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10,000

100,000

Government response

Bereavement Support Payment provides valuable short-term help after a death. While we are not able to increase BSP at this time, longer-term support is available from other social security benefits.