At last, bereaved families gain financial support

Thousands of bereaved young families struggling with finances when a partner dies can now claim support worth up to £9,800, thanks to a campaign backed by Wealth & Personal Finance.

Last week, the House of Commons voted through a bill to help almost 23,000 grieving families where the parents had been cohabiting but not married.

The surviving mother or father will now be able to claim the same bereavement support that was previously only offered to married couples or those in a civil partnership. The new rules, expected to come into force early this year, could benefit an estimated 1,800 widows or widowers a year.

The change is also backdated to cover a further 21,000 claims from August 30, 2018, which may affect those whose partners died more than a decade ago. Unfortunately, families only have a 12-month window to claim backdated support before the offer is axed.

Families entitled to child benefit, still in full-time education up to the age of 20, will be able to receive a £3,500 lump sum…