SE76176 - Social security benefits: widow's benefits - summary

Section 617(1)(a) ICTA 1988

Widow's benefits - summary

Before 9 April 2001 when a husband died, his widow and dependent children were entitled to claim widow's benefits as long as:

• she was not divorced from him at the date of death
• she was not living with him without being legally married to him
• she was not living with another man.
  
  There were three types of widow's benefits:

• widow's payment - a one off tax-free lump sum payable immediately after death. This was abolished on 9 April 2001.
• widowed mother's allowance ( SE76177)
• widow's pension ( SE76178).
  
  Widow's benefits were replaced by bereavement benefits ( SE76170) for new claimants on or after 9 April 2001, but widows in receipt of either widowed mother's allowance or widow's pension before that date continue to receive those benefits.