Widows' plea for 'fairer' financial help for bereaved families

Grieving families are fighting for fairer bereavement support to help them cope financially in the wake of loss.

A petition, which has garnered over 100,000 signatures, is calling on the government to extend Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) beyond its current 18-month limit and introduce annual increases to reflect the rising cost of living and long-term income loss.

The Department for Work and Pensions says the support is intended as short-term and Universal Credit is increased to help with the cost of living.

But campaigners say the system is “unfair” for single-parent working families.

‘You’re expected to get on with it’

'We're just expected to get on with it': Widows call for better bereavement support — ‘We’re just expected to get on with it’: Widows call for better bereavement support STV News

Adam and Joey lost their dad, David, to bowel cancer in October 2024. He was diagnosed in January 2023 after multiple visits to the hospital regarding bowel issues.

While the immediate aftermath was consumed by grief, it was quickly followed by a severe financial shock.

The bereavement payments the family relied on suddenly stopped after just 18 months.

Despite a loss of income, David’s widow Lorraine Wallace, a part-time teacher from Kirkcaldy, has been told she works too many hours to receive Universal Credit.

“We’re expected to now be able to just get on with it, and everything’s fine now, and it’s not, it’s not because they’re still missing a massive part of their life.

“Adam has pointed out that it’s just unfair. Joey, in a very age-appropriate way, has just said that ‘my life’s harder and sadder now.’

“I would rather have my husband back, but he paid in his National Insurance for over 20 years, and he’s paid into that system that you kind of expect will pay back out, and it’s a system that’s supposed to be there to protect you, and it’s just not.”

Prior to welfare reforms in 2017, families like Lorraine’s would have been entitled to bereavement support until they turned 18. The government stripped that safety net back, replacing it with one payment of £3,500, followed by 18 payments of £350.

‘We live month to month now’

Widows who have seen their household income plummet after the sudden death of their partner are calling for better financial support STV News

Nearly a decade on from the changes, grieving families across the country are speaking out.

Jenna McGettrick, from Portlethen, lost her husband Ian two years ago to cancer, leaving behind 11-year-old Luke and nine-year-old Olivia.

“He was the sort of person that nobody had anything bad to say about him. Everyone loved him, he was always helping everybody out.

“My son’s a bit more sensitive than my daughter, so he gets upset a bit more easily. He struggles to sleep at night. Whereas Olivia, she’s coping okay on the outside. She won’t tell me how she’s feeling on the inside.”

She says she now lives “month-to-month” due to lack of support.

“What we’re asking for is this money for the bereavement support payments coming out of the national insurance contributions that our partners pay into, which they would get at state pension age.

“We’re just asking for that extra financial help that our partners paid into, and we need to survive.”

In a statement to STV News, the UK Government said bereavement support payment provides short-term financial support with higher amounts paid for those with children.

They added the government is helping to drive down the cost of living through increases to Universal Credit.

The petition by the families to force a change in legislation will now be up for debate in the UK Parliament.