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The widow’s pension isn’t around anymore, but there’s now a similar scheme called the Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) in its place. If your civil partner, husband or wife has died, you may be eligible to apply to the benefits scheme to receive a lump sum followed by regular payments for up to 18 months. This money can be used to help you manage your bills and cover other vital spending during what is a distressing time. It can also tide you over while you wait to receive their pension pot, if you’re entitled to this.

You will need to have been married to, or in a civil partnership with, the deceased to be eligible for Bereavement Support Payment. Payments are linked to National Insurance contributions, and you can only claim if you haven’t reached State Pension age yet. Your partner will have had to have made National Insurance contributions for at least 25 weeks in one tax year for you to be able to claim. But if they died due to an accident or illness at work, you may still be eligible even if they didn’t make contributions.