Minister reveals new payments for widows
Department for Work & Pensions minister Caroline Nokes was at Portsmouth Naval Base yesterday to announce widows will receive an extra £2,000.
Childless widows were entitled to 12 monthly payments if they were aged over 45 – with younger people losing out.
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Hide AdNow from April any widow will get £2,500 and 18 monthly payments of £100. Those with children will get £3,500 and 18 payments of £350.
Ms Nokes said: ‘My biggest message is we want to help not just existing service families but widows too, we owe them a debt of gratitude.’
She added: ‘The old-fashioned system we are replacing failed to provide enough support to young widowed spouses or civil partners when they didn’t have kids.
‘That included those who are grieving for a loved one who has laid down their life serving their country. That is simply wrong.’
The new scheme is Bereavement Support Payment.