03 March 2023 , 07:00
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One Martin Lewis fan shared how their friend received a cash boost of £9,800.
The reader, known only as Rhianne, wrote in to the MoneySavingExpert team to explain how her friend followed advice about backdated Bereavement Support Payment.
She explained how her friend had a partner who she had children with and lived with for "many years".
The couple were, however, not married and the partner sadly died in 2018.
Rhianne is a subscriber of the MoneySavingExpert newsletter and had read about the recent rule change for Bereavement Support in its latest weekly email.
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After finding out about the change, Rhianne told her friend and she managed to successfully claim £9,800 worth of backdated support.
Rhianne said: "My friend successfully claimed £9,800 after her partner died in 2018. They were unmarried but lived together with children for many years.
"As a single mother of three on a low income, this money will help so much. If I didn't get your emails, it's unlikely my friend would have known about the support. Thank you."
Bereavement Support Payment used to only be available to couples who are married or in a civil partnership.
But from February 9 this year, the rules changed so that unmarried couples who had children together and lived together were eligible for financial help.
The change happened after both the High Court and the Supreme Court found that it was against the human rights to offer the same support offered to those who are married.
Martin Lewis highlighted to readers that the new rule change also allowed people to backdate claims going back to August 2018.
To qualify, claimants must have met the eligibility criteria for either Bereavement Support Payment or Widowed Parent’s Allowance on or after 30 August 2018.
Bereavement Support Payment is worth £3,500 followed by payments of £350 over the next 18 months.
You may be able to get Bereavement Support Payment if your partner died on or after April 6, 2017.
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If your partner died before April 6, 2017, you may be able to get Widowed Parent’s Allowance instead.
Widowed Parent's Allowance pays £126.35 a week and you can continue to get this for however long you claim Child Benefit.