Operational Guidelines: Bereaved Parent Grant

BREXIT impacts

Ireland / United Kingdom Social Security arrangements from 1 January 2021.

The European Union and the United Kingdom agreed a Trade and Cooperation Agreement which contains a Protocol on Social Security to take effect from 1 January 2021. The Protocol provides for a wide range of social security issues into the future. On the 31 December 2020, the Convention on Social Security agreed between Ireland and the United Kingdom was commenced. Together these Agreements ensure, that all existing social security arrangements for Irish & UK citizens are maintained into the future. Ireland as an EU Member State, will extend on a unilateral basis the advantages of the Convention to Union citizens, as required.

For Brexit-related information see:

• www.gov.ie/brexit

For information on social welfare entitlements see:

• Brexit Information
• FAQs on DFA about Brexit

Description of Scheme

A Bereaved Parent Grant is a once-off payment designed to assist with the income support needs of a bereaved partner, that is a widow, widower, surviving civil partner, or surviving qualified cohabitant, with dependent children, immediately following the death of his or her spouse/partner. The current rate of payment is €8,000.

The scheme was introduced in April 2000 for persons widowed on or after 1 December 1999 who had at least one qualified child. The scheme was extended to surviving civil partners who have at least one qualified child and who were bereaved on or after 1 January 2011. It was extended to surviving qualified co-habitants who have at least one qualified child and who were bereaved on or after 21 July 2025.

In order to qualify for this grant, a person must be entitled to, or in receipt of a qualifying payment as detailed in 'Qualifying Conditions' below, which includes a an increase in respect of a qualified child.

Bereaved Parent Grant was known as Widowed Parent Grant up to 21 July 2025.

Legislation

The provisions in relation to Bereaved Parent Grant are contained in Chapter 21 of Part 2 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 2005 (as amended).

Administration

The Bereaved Parent Grant is administered by Social Welfare Services, College Road, Sligo.

Qualifying Conditions

To qualify for this payment you must:

The widow, widower or surviving civil partner must be entitled to or in receipt of one of the following:

• be a bereaved partner, that is a widow, widower, surviving civil partner or a surviving qualified cohabitant;
• be entitled to, or in receipt of a qualifying payment which includes an increase in respect of a qualified child

Bereaved Partner

‘Bereaved partner’ means a widow, a widower, a surviving civil partner or a surviving qualified cohabitant.

Where a person has been married, registered as a civil partner or has been a qualified cohabitant more than once, the condition of being bereaved partner relates only to the last spouse, civil partner, or qualified cohabitant, whichever is the last, of the bereaved partner.

A person shall not be considered a bereaved partner if the couple lived apart for a period of at least 2 years immediately preceding the date of death of the deceased.

Qualified Cohabitant

A qualified cohabitant is one of 2 adults who lived together as a couple in an intimate and committed relationship and who, immediately before the time the relationship ended, whether through death or otherwise, was living together as a couple for a continuous period of –

• 2 years or more, in the case where there are one or more children of the relationship, or
• 5 years or more, in any other case.

If the claim is based on being a qualified cohabitant, the Bereaved Parent Grant will only be paid for deaths that occur on or after 21 July 2025.

Divorce

Where the death occurred on or after 21 July 2025 a person cannot qualify for Bereaved Parent Grant where they are divorced from the deceased person.

Where the death occurred prior to 21 July 2025, payment of the grant can be made where the couple were divorced.

Dissolved Civil Partnership

Where the death occurred on or after 21 July 2025 a person cannot qualify for Bereaved Parent Grant where the civil partnership with the deceased person has been dissolved.

Where the death occurred prior to 21 July 2025, payment of the grant can be made where the civil partnership was dissolved.

Annulment

Where a State annulment has occurred, the marriage or civil partnership is deemed never to have taken place. A church annulment does not affect the status of a widow or widower. However, a person shall not be considered a bereaved partner if the couple lived apart for a period of at least 2 years immediately preceding the date of death of the deceased.

Qualifying Payment

The widow, widower, surviving civil partner or surviving qualified cohabitant, must be entitled to or in receipt of one of the following payments, which must include an increase in respect of a qualified child.

• Death benefit under the Occupational Injuries Scheme
• Bereaved Partner’s Contributory Pension
• One-Parent Family payment
• State Pension (Non-contributory)
• State Pension (Contributory)

Qualified Child

The widow, widower, surviving civil partner or surviving cohabitant must have at least one qualified child living with her or him at the time of death or a child born within 10 months of the date of death of their late spouse/partner.

For the purpose of the Bereaved Parent Grant a qualified child is a child up to age 18, who is normally resident in the State and who is living with the claimant. A child aged between 18 and 22 who is normally resident in the State continues to be a qualified child if she or he is in full time education by day at a recognised school or college.

Where a child for whom an increase is in payment, reaches the age of 22 during an academic year, she or he will continue to be regarded as a qualified child, for the duration of the academic year beyond their 22nd birthday. (See also the 'Increase for a Qualified Child' guideline for further information about Qualified Children).

Instances will occasionally arise where an increase for the child is not payable, as the qualified child is in receipt of a Social Welfare benefit or assistance payment in his or her own right. Bereaved Parent Grant is however payable in such circumstances.

When and how do I claim Bereaved Parent Grant

In any case where a claim to a Bereaved Partner’s Contributory Pension is being made there is no requirement to complete a separate application form for the Bereaved Parent Grant. The documentation for the pension claim will suffice for the Bereaved Parent Grant.

If no claim to Bereaved Partner’s Contributory Pension is being made to this department, a claim form, BPG1, should be fully completed. The application form can be downloaded from www.gov.ie, or is also available in Intreo Centres or Citizens Information Centres. Please send the completed application, along with all necessary supporting documentation to:

Bereaved Parent Grant

Social Welfare Services

College Road

Sligo F91 T384

A person may, depending on financial circumstances, claim Supplementary Welfare Allowance while awaiting a decision on pension entitlement. See separate guideline "SWA Guidelines" for details of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme.

It is an offence for a person to knowingly make a false or misleading statement or to provide documents or information which they know to be false in some respect for the purpose of obtaining or establishing entitlement to pension, or pension at a higher rate.

A person found guilty of such an offence could be liable to a substantial fine or a term of imprisonment of up to 12 months or both. Any overpayment of pension would also be repayable to the Department.

Certificates or Documents needed with your application form

Evidence of births, marriages and civil partnerships which occurred in the State are available to the Department and such certificates are not required.

Where the birth, marriage, civil partnership or death occurred outside the State, the person must provide the relevant original certificates as evidence. If these are not immediately available, they can be provided afterwards, but this may delay the processing of the application.

A person applying for pension based on being a surviving qualified cohabitant is required to provide documentary evidence to support their application. This could include:

• joint bank/financial account
• joint rental agreement
• joint mortgage/purchase agreement
• property registered in joint names
• joint utility bill e.g. electricity, telephone

or any other documentary evidence to support that you and the deceased were a couple.

If the application is in respect of a qualified child aged between 18 and 22 in full time education, a certificate from the school or college confirming their attendance should be submitted with the claim.

Decisions

Claims are decided by Deciding Officers appointed by the Minister under Section 299 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation Act) 2005.

Deciding Officers are independent in the exercise of their function in deciding on entitlements. In arriving at their decision, Deciding Officers are bound by the legal provisions in the Social Welfare Acts and Regulations.

As entitlement to the Grant is contingent on being in receipt of or entitled to a qualifying payment, which includes an increase for a qualified child, such entitlement must first be decided.

When a decision is made on your claim, a written notification of the decision will be issued to you. If the claim is disallowed, full details including the basis for the decision will be included, along with the right of appeal.

If you consider that the decision you receive is incorrect, or you require clarification in relation to it, please contact the Deciding Officer immediately. It is also open to you to forward to the Deciding Officer any further documentary evidence that you think is relevant and s/he will then review the decision.

Any certificates or documents which have been submitted in support of the claim are returned with the letter, if not already returned earlier.

Appeals

If you are not satisfied with the Deciding Officer's decision (either before or after seeking a review), you may appeal it to the independent Social Welfare Appeal's Office setting out fully the grounds of your appeal.

The easiest and quickest way to make your appeal is online through Make an Appeal on MyWelfare once you have a verified MyGovID account.

For additional information on how to make an appeal including how lodge an online appeal see Social Welfare Appeals Office.

Your appeal should be submitted within 60 days of the date of the decision letter. However, if you first seek a review by the Deciding Officer, you have 60 days from the completion of that review in which to make your appeal.

Payment

Payment of the Bereaved Parent Grant is made by way of direct payment into the claimants account in a financial institution. This account must be a current, deposit, or savings account.