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922965

	registered interest
	date	12/06/2018
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Bereavement Benefits
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how much was paid in Bereavement Benefits in (1) 2013–2014, (2) 2014–2015, (3) 2015–2016, and (4) 2016–2017.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Altmann
	uin	HL8538
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/06/2018 answer text <p>The Benefit Expenditure and Caseload Tables are published by the department after each fiscal event and contain outturn and forecast expenditure for all Bereavement Related Benefits including Widow’s Pension (WP), Widowed Mother’s Allowance (WMA), Bereavement Allowance (BA), Widowed Parent’s Allowance (WPA) and Bereavement Support Payment (BSP). Table 1 shows expenditure on Bereavement Related Benefits for the requested years from the latest release of these tables published after Spring Statement 2018. Table 2 shows forecast expenditure on Bereavement Support Payments, also from the same source.</p><p> </p><p>Table 1: Outturn Expenditure, £m 2018/19 prices</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>2014/15</p></td><td><p>2015/16</p></td><td><p>2016/17</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bereavement Related Benefits</p></td><td><p>629</p></td><td><p>607</p></td><td><p>601</p></td><td><p>576</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Table 2: Forecast Expenditure, £m, 2018/19 prices</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>2019/20</p></td><td><p>2020/21</p></td><td><p>2021/22</p></td><td><p>2022/23</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bereavement Support Payment</p></td><td><p>115</p></td><td><p>199</p></td><td><p>206</p></td><td><p>203</p></td><td><p>198</p></td><td><p>195</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>The department publishes caseload information on Bereavement Benefits and Widow’s Benefits recipients on on-line via Stat Xplore. These can be broken down by benefit type to show which claims have dependent children. Table 3 below shows caseload data from November of the requested years from Stat Xplore. The caseload is the number of claims in payment during the month in question.</p><p> </p><p>Table 3: Caseload</p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><p> </p></td><td><p>Nov-13</p></td><td><p>Nov-14</p></td><td><p>Nov-15</p></td><td><p>Nov-16</p></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2"><p>Caseload</p></td><td><p>WMA or WPA with dependent children</p></td><td><p>46,300</p></td><td><p>45,300</p></td><td><p>44,200</p></td><td><p>43,100</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>WP, BA or WMA/WPA without dependent children</p></td><td><p>50,100</p></td><td><p>47,700</p></td><td><p>46,200</p></td><td><p>45,700</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The forecast volume of claimants for Bereavement Support Payment, broken down by whether the claim is Standard Rate or Higher Rate is shown in Table 4. Claimants with dependent children and entitled to Child Benefit, or who were pregnant, when their husband, wife or civil partner died will get the higher rate. These forecasts are consistent with the caseload forecasts published in the Spring Statement 2018 Benefit Expenditure and Caseload Tables, and represent average caseloads over the full financial year.</p><p> </p><p>Table 4: Bereavement Support Payment Forecast Caseload</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>2019/20</p></td><td><p>2020/21</p></td><td><p>2021/22</p></td><td><p>2022/23</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Caseload - Standard Rate</p></td><td><p>19,000</p></td><td><p>49,000</p></td><td><p>53,000</p></td><td><p>53,000</p></td><td><p>54,000</p></td><td><p>53,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Caseload - Higher Rate</p></td><td><p>3,000</p></td><td><p>8,000</p></td><td><p>9,000</p></td><td><p>9,000</p></td><td><p>9,000</p></td><td><p>9,000</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL8539 HL8540 HL8541 HL8542 HL8589 question first answered 26/06/2018 14:48:47 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann

922967

	registered interest
	date	12/06/2018
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Bereavement Benefits
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many families with children received either Bereavement Benefit or Bereavement Support Payments in the fiscal years (1) 2013–2014, (2) 2014–2015, (3) 2015–2016, and (4) 2016–2017.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Altmann
	uin	HL8540
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/06/2018 answer text <p>The Benefit Expenditure and Caseload Tables are published by the department after each fiscal event and contain outturn and forecast expenditure for all Bereavement Related Benefits including Widow’s Pension (WP), Widowed Mother’s Allowance (WMA), Bereavement Allowance (BA), Widowed Parent’s Allowance (WPA) and Bereavement Support Payment (BSP). Table 1 shows expenditure on Bereavement Related Benefits for the requested years from the latest release of these tables published after Spring Statement 2018. Table 2 shows forecast expenditure on Bereavement Support Payments, also from the same source.</p><p> </p><p>Table 1: Outturn Expenditure, £m 2018/19 prices</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>2014/15</p></td><td><p>2015/16</p></td><td><p>2016/17</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bereavement Related Benefits</p></td><td><p>629</p></td><td><p>607</p></td><td><p>601</p></td><td><p>576</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Table 2: Forecast Expenditure, £m, 2018/19 prices</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>2019/20</p></td><td><p>2020/21</p></td><td><p>2021/22</p></td><td><p>2022/23</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bereavement Support Payment</p></td><td><p>115</p></td><td><p>199</p></td><td><p>206</p></td><td><p>203</p></td><td><p>198</p></td><td><p>195</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>The department publishes caseload information on Bereavement Benefits and Widow’s Benefits recipients on on-line via Stat Xplore. These can be broken down by benefit type to show which claims have dependent children. Table 3 below shows caseload data from November of the requested years from Stat Xplore. The caseload is the number of claims in payment during the month in question.</p><p> </p><p>Table 3: Caseload</p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><p> </p></td><td><p>Nov-13</p></td><td><p>Nov-14</p></td><td><p>Nov-15</p></td><td><p>Nov-16</p></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2"><p>Caseload</p></td><td><p>WMA or WPA with dependent children</p></td><td><p>46,300</p></td><td><p>45,300</p></td><td><p>44,200</p></td><td><p>43,100</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>WP, BA or WMA/WPA without dependent children</p></td><td><p>50,100</p></td><td><p>47,700</p></td><td><p>46,200</p></td><td><p>45,700</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The forecast volume of claimants for Bereavement Support Payment, broken down by whether the claim is Standard Rate or Higher Rate is shown in Table 4. Claimants with dependent children and entitled to Child Benefit, or who were pregnant, when their husband, wife or civil partner died will get the higher rate. These forecasts are consistent with the caseload forecasts published in the Spring Statement 2018 Benefit Expenditure and Caseload Tables, and represent average caseloads over the full financial year.</p><p> </p><p>Table 4: Bereavement Support Payment Forecast Caseload</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>2019/20</p></td><td><p>2020/21</p></td><td><p>2021/22</p></td><td><p>2022/23</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Caseload - Standard Rate</p></td><td><p>19,000</p></td><td><p>49,000</p></td><td><p>53,000</p></td><td><p>53,000</p></td><td><p>54,000</p></td><td><p>53,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Caseload - Higher Rate</p></td><td><p>3,000</p></td><td><p>8,000</p></td><td><p>9,000</p></td><td><p>9,000</p></td><td><p>9,000</p></td><td><p>9,000</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL8538 HL8539 HL8541 HL8542 HL8589 question first answered 26/06/2018 14:48:47 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann

793054

	registered interest
	date	21/11/2017
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Bereavement Benefits
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support his Department offers for people in the work-place who have suffered a bereavement; and if he will make a statement..
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	114839
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2017 answer text <p>Bereavement Support Payment provides short-term financial support to people of working age whose deceased spouse or civil partner had paid sufficient National Insurance contributions. It focuses support on the 18 month period after the death of a spouse or civil partner in order to help with the immediate costs of bereavement.</p><p> </p><p>Bereavement Support Payment consists of an initial payment and up to 18 monthly instalments payable to the surviving spouse or civil partner. Recipients with children can receive an initial payment of £3,500 and monthly payments of £350, whilst those without can receive an initial payment of £2,500 and monthly instalments of £100. It is not taxable and is paid on top of any income-related benefits the household receives thus not disadvantaging low income families. It can be paid regardless of whether the surviving spouse or civil partner is in work.</p><p> </p><p>Those in receipt of a means-tested benefit or tax credits may qualify for a Funeral Expenses Payment if they are responsible for arranging a funeral. Funeral Expenses Payments provide help towards the cost of a simple respectful funeral. They cover specified necessary costs, for example burial or cremation fees, plus a contribution of up to £700 towards other costs such as funeral directors fees.</p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 27/11/2017 16:53:21 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

596094

	registered interest
	date	07/10/2016
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Bereavement Benefits
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress has been made on implementing the recommendations made by the Work and Pensions Committee in its report of 23 March 2016 on support for the bereaved.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	47477
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2016 answer text <p>As set out in the Government response to the Work and Pensions Select Committee’s report on support for the bereaved, we are working closely with the funeral industry in order to improve communications and guidance to help bereaved people understand the eligibility criteria and apply for Funeral Expenses Payments. Later this autumn we will be introducing an improved and shorter application form.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 13/10/2016 13:16:01 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

654503

	registered interest
	date	07/12/2016
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Bereavement Benefits
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will harmonise the eligibility rules for civilian and non-civilian widows entitlement to Bereaved Parents Allowance if a widower decides to (a) remarry and (b) enter a civil partnership.
	tabling member constituency	Southampton, Itchen
	tabling member printed	Royston Smith
	uin	56439
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2016 answer text <p>Entitlement to Widowed Parent's Allowance ceases if a surviving spouse or civil partner remarries, forms a civil partnership or begins living with someone in a relationship akin to marriage or a civil partnership. This is the same for civilian and non-civilian widows and widowers.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 12/12/2016 17:20:01 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4478 label Biography information for Royston Smith

686243

	registered interest
	date	07/02/2017
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Bereavement Benefits
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to publish an updated impact assessment for plans to replace bereavement benefits with bereavement support payments; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Oldham East and Saddleworth
	tabling member printed	Debbie Abrahams
	uin	63529
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/02/2017 answer text <p>The Department published an impact assessment in 2014 that contained a very detailed analysis of the Bereavement Support Payment which was introduced by the Pensions Act 2014.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 20/02/2017 16:49:21 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4212 label Biography information for Debbie Abrahams

706834

	registered interest
	date	01/03/2017
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Bereavement Benefits
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to reform bereavement benefits.
	tabling member constituency	Fermanagh and South Tyrone
	tabling member printed	Tom Elliott
	uin	66253
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2017 answer text <p>For those whose spouse or civil partner dies on or after 6 April 2017 we are replacing the current suite of bereavement benefits with a single benefit known as Bereavement Support Payment. The Regulations setting out the details of Bereavement Support Payment were debated in the House of Lords on 21 February 2017 and in the House of Commons on 27 February 2017.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 10/03/2017 13:58:10 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4367 label Biography information for Tom Elliott

708627

	registered interest
	date	06/03/2017
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Bereavement Benefits
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of people who have claimed widowed parent's allowance and bereavement allowance in the last five years would have received less money under the new bereavement support payment scheme.
	tabling member constituency	Edinburgh West
	tabling member printed	Michelle Thomson
	uin	66640
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2017 answer text <p>The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 13/03/2017 13:33:39 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4422 label Biography information for Michelle Thomson

513107

	registered interest
	date	14/04/2016
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Bereavement Benefits
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department takes to (a) notify recently bereaved spouses of the existence of bereavement benefits and (b) encourage those people to check their entitlement.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne East
	tabling member printed	Mr Nicholas Brown
	uin	34122
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2016 answer text <p>Information about Bereavement Benefits is widely available through GOV.UK. We also work closely with third party organisations who the bereaved traditionally contact such as registrars, hospitals, funeral directors and voluntary groups ensuring that they have the correct information available to signpost the bereaved to the DWP Bereavement Service.</p><p> </p><p>Upon contacting the DWP Bereavement Service our staff will ensure that any benefits and pensions arrears are claimed and will also initiate a claim for Social Fund Funeral Payments and Bereavement Benefits if appropriate.</p><p>.</p><p>We continue to look for opportunities to improve the availability of advice about these particular benefits and as a result we have improved the information available on GOV.UK, and are currently exploring ways in which to to join up the Tell Us Once and Bereavement Service offers.</p><p> </p><p>Tell Us Once is a cross-government service delivered through Local Authorities whereby notification of the death is cascaded out to other agencies, thus reducing the number of contacts an individual has to make.</p><p> </p><p>The time limit for claiming Bereavement Allowance is three months from the date of death, which is consistent with the time limit for other welfare entitlements. We are currently developing the new Bereavement Support Payment due to be implemented for new claims from April 2017, and we will assess the merits of further flexibilities on backdating as part of this work.</p><p> </p><p>Information available on the number of people in receipt of Bereavement Allowance by duration of current claim can be found at:</p><p><a href="http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/100pc/tabtool.html" target="_blank">http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/100pc/tabtool.html</a></p><p> </p><p>Guidance for users can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-tabulation-tool-guidance" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-tabulation-tool-guidance</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Witham answering member printed Priti Patel grouped question UIN 34123 34124 question first answered 22/04/2016 08:52:12 answering member 4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel
	tabling member	523 label Biography information for Mr Nicholas Brown

513108

	registered interest
	date	14/04/2016
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Bereavement Benefits
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims for bereavement allowance have been made for each of the last five years; and what proportion of such claims covered (a) the full eligible 52 weeks and (b) less than the full 52 weeks.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne East
	tabling member printed	Mr Nicholas Brown
	uin	34123
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2016 answer text <p>Information about Bereavement Benefits is widely available through GOV.UK. We also work closely with third party organisations who the bereaved traditionally contact such as registrars, hospitals, funeral directors and voluntary groups ensuring that they have the correct information available to signpost the bereaved to the DWP Bereavement Service.</p><p> </p><p>Upon contacting the DWP Bereavement Service our staff will ensure that any benefits and pensions arrears are claimed and will also initiate a claim for Social Fund Funeral Payments and Bereavement Benefits if appropriate.</p><p>.</p><p>We continue to look for opportunities to improve the availability of advice about these particular benefits and as a result we have improved the information available on GOV.UK, and are currently exploring ways in which to to join up the Tell Us Once and Bereavement Service offers.</p><p> </p><p>Tell Us Once is a cross-government service delivered through Local Authorities whereby notification of the death is cascaded out to other agencies, thus reducing the number of contacts an individual has to make.</p><p> </p><p>The time limit for claiming Bereavement Allowance is three months from the date of death, which is consistent with the time limit for other welfare entitlements. We are currently developing the new Bereavement Support Payment due to be implemented for new claims from April 2017, and we will assess the merits of further flexibilities on backdating as part of this work.</p><p> </p><p>Information available on the number of people in receipt of Bereavement Allowance by duration of current claim can be found at:</p><p><a href="http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/100pc/tabtool.html" target="_blank">http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/100pc/tabtool.html</a></p><p> </p><p>Guidance for users can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-tabulation-tool-guidance" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-tabulation-tool-guidance</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Witham answering member printed Priti Patel grouped question UIN 34122 34124 question first answered 22/04/2016 08:52:13 answering member 4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel
	tabling member	523 label Biography information for Mr Nicholas Brown