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What is the Bereavement Service?

The Bereavement Service is a telephone service that lets you:

• tell different government departments that someone has died with just one call
• end a benefit claim for someone who has died
• find out if you are eligible for benefits because your husband, wife or civil partner has died
• make a claim for bereavement benefits or a claim for help with funeral costs, known as a Funeral Payment

Checking your benefits

The Bereavement Service checks what benefits you may be eligible for. If appropriate, they will take your claim for bereavement benefits or a Funeral Payment over the phone. Bereavement benefits include the following benefits:

• Bereavement Allowance
• Bereavement Payment
• Widowed Parent's Allowance

You don't need to send a copy of form BD8 (certificate of registration of death) to DWP. You should keep this safe in case you need it in the future.

• Bereavement Allowance

• Bereavement Payment

• Funeral Payments

• Widowed Parent's Allowance

Reporting a death

Some local authorities run a service that lets people tell the government just once about a person's death. This information is then shared with other departments and services that need to be told.

When you register the death, ask the registrar if it's available in your area.

If you use this local service, you won't need to phone the Bereavement Service at DWP.

• Telling government someone has died

Contacting the Bereavement Service

The Bereavement Service helpline is run by The Pension Service but deals with calls about people of any age who have died.

Select option two: 'If you are calling to tell us about someone who has died, or check what help may be available following a bereavement'.

Telephone (English): 0845 606 0265
Telephone (Welsh): 0845 606 0275

Monday to Friday, 8.00 am to 8.00 pm.

If you have speech or hearing difficulties, there is a textphone service.

Textphone (English): 0845 606 0285
Textphone (Welsh): 0845 606 0295

Monday to Friday, 8.00 am to 8.00 pm.

More useful links

• What to do after a death (government, citizens and rights)