What happens to benefits when someone dies?

Sorting out the benefits of someone who has died

Benefit payments will not automatically stop when someone dies. After registering the death, you will need to tell the government to stop their benefit payments. This includes (but is not limited to):

• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• Attendance Allowance
• Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Universal Credit
• Adult Disability Payment
• Disability Living Allowance
• Child Disability Payment 
• Housing Benefit.

In England, Wales and Scotland you can contact the government's Tell Us Once service after someone dies. Tell Us Once is not available in Northern Ireland, or if the person died while living abroad. Find out who to contact if you cannot use Tell Us Once.

Tell Us Once is a service that helps you report a death to most government organisations at once. As well as benefits, they will sort out other things like cancelling the person's passport and sorting out personal tax. When you register the death, the registrar will either complete the Tell Us Once service with you, or give you a unique reference number to use the service.

Visit GOV.UK to find out more about the Tell Us Once service and the organisations they'll contact.  

How do I inform DWP of a death?

Tell Us Once will contact the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Social Security Scotland (SSS) to cancel the person's benefits. They'll also contact their local council to cancel the person's Blue Badge or Housing Benefit. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the DWP and SSS may then contact you about the person's benefits.

What if I cannot use Tell Us Once?

In Northern Ireland: you can contact the Bereavement Service on 0800 085 2463 to report someone's death. They will help you sort out the person's benefits. They can also help you access any benefits you may be entitled to.

In England, Wales and Scotland: visit GOV.UK to find out what to do if someone dies while living abroad.  

What happens to my carer's benefits?

If you're receiving carer's benefits, you need to report the person's death to Tell Us Once, the DWP Bereavement Service or the Northern Ireland Bereavement Service, as above.

Your carer's benefits will stop after the person you were caring for has died. If you're overpaid because you did not let the government department know about the person's death, you may have to repay money.

Carer's Allowance after someone dies

If you're getting Carer's Allowance, you can receive it for up to eight weeks after the death of the person you were caring for.

Other carer benefits

• Income Support will continue for up to eight weeks after the person has died.
• Carer premium may also continue for up to eight weeks.
• Universal Credit – in some circumstances, some amounts can continue at their existing rate after a person dies, before entitlement is recalculated. This is known as a bereavement run-on. The carer element in Universal Credit can continue for the remainder of the monthly assessment period in which the person dies, and for the next two monthly assessment periods.

What benefits can I claim after someone dies?

You may be able to claim the following benefits after someone has died:

• Bereavement Support Payment if the person who died was your husband, wife or civil partner and you're under State Pension age. If you were cohabiting with your partner (but were not married or in a civil partnership) and you have dependent children, you are not currently entitled to Bereavement Support Payment. However the rules are going to change, and you might be able to make a backdated claim.
• Funeral Expenses Payment if you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, or Funeral Support Payment if you live in Scotland.

It may help to get advice from a financial or benefits advisor to make sure you're getting any support you're entitled to. See below for where you can access further help.

Support when someone dies

Sorting out practical things when someone dies can be difficult. You can find more information and support in our online information resources on when someone dies, or you could download our booklet: When someone dies. Or you can call Marie Curie's Support Line on 0800 090 2309.

Find out about Marie Curie's Bereavement Support Service.

Where can I get more help?

The benefits system can be complicated, so it's important you have the right information and advice. Here are some organisations that can provide further support:

• Marie Curie Support Line on 0800 090 2309 provides general information about benefits and finances.
• Citizens Advice   has trained advisers you can speak to and provides information on your rights, including benefits, housing, employment, debt, consumer and legal issues. Search the site for your nearest bureau in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
• Turn2us   has a search function to find benefits advisers in your area, and provides people with financial support and information on benefits and grants.
• Macmillan Cancer Support   has welfare rights advisers you can speak to, and provides practical, medical and financial support for people affected by cancer.

Here at Marie Curie we cannot provide information about your specific benefit claim. For all queries about claims, you'll need to contact the relevant government department for your benefit. A list of relevant benefits can be found on our page about benefits for people affected by terminal illness.

See our list of useful organisations for more places to go for benefits advice and information.

Useful websites

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About this information

This information is not intended to replace any advice from health or social care professionals. We suggest that you consult with a qualified professional about your individual circumstances. Read more about how our information is created and how it's used.