Bereavement benefits: Findings from qualitative research

a research report (RR 790) by Katie Oldfield, Lorna Adams and Briony Gunstone (IFF Research) published by the DWP (February 2012)

Bereavement benefits are paid to surviving spouses in the event of their partner’s death. They are intended to provide some replacement for the deceased partner’s income, and reduce the impact of the disruption to the surviving partner’s own earning capacity at this time. Bereavement benefits are available to people who are married or in a civil partnership, subject to age conditions and National Insurance contributions.

This report presents findings from qualitative research with people who had received bereavement benefits during the last 18 months. Sixty in-depth interviews were carried out with recipients during September and October 2011. The interviews explored issues such as the financial impact of bereavement, the role of bereavement benefits, the impact of bereavement on the surviving partner’s career, and the impact of bereavement on childcare needs and arrangements.
The research was carried out by IFF Research.

Full report (PDF 41pp)

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