R05 Bereavement benefits: free practice questions

1. Question 1 of 5

   Which benefit replaced Bereavement Payment, Widowed Parent's Allowance and Bereavement Allowance for new claims from 2017/18?

   Option A: Employment and Support AllowanceOption B: Pension CreditOption C: Bereavement Support PaymentOption D: Universal Credit

   Show answer

   The answer is C: Bereavement Support Payment

   Bereavement Support Payment replaced the three legacy bereavement benefits, providing a more uniform structure to help with immediate costs.

   Why the other options are wrong

   A

   ESA is for people whose illness or disability limits their ability to work, not a bereavement benefit.

   B

   Pension Credit is an income top-up for people over the qualifying age, not a bereavement benefit.

   D

   Universal Credit replaced means-tested benefits, not the bereavement benefits.

2. Question 2 of 5

   A bereaved claimant with dependent children qualifies for the higher rate of Bereavement Support Payment in 2026/27. What is paid?

   Option A: £2,500 lump sum plus £100 a month for 18 monthsOption B: £3,500 lump sum plus £350 a month for 12 monthsOption C: £3,500 lump sum plus £350 a month for 18 monthsOption D: £2,000 lump sum only

   Show answer

   The answer is C: £3,500 lump sum plus £350 a month for 18 months

   The higher rate for those with dependent children is a £3,500 lump sum plus £350 a month for 18 months. The standard rate is £2,500 plus £100 a month.

   Why the other options are wrong

   A

   £2,500 plus £100 a month is the standard rate, for claimants without dependent children.

   B

   Monthly payments last for 18 months, not 12.

   D

   There's no lump-sum-only rate; the higher rate includes monthly payments too.

3. Question 3 of 5

   What is the total amount of Bereavement Support Payment payable at the standard rate, for a claimant without dependent children, in 2026/27?

   Option A: £2,500Option B: £6,300Option C: £3,700Option D: £4,300

   Show answer

   The answer is D: £4,300

   Standard rate: £2,500 lump sum + (£100 × 18 months) = £2,500 + £1,800 = £4,300.

   Why the other options are wrong

   A

   £2,500 is only the lump sum; 18 monthly payments of £100 are added.

   B

   £6,300 is 18 monthly payments at the higher rate of £350.

   C

   £3,700 counts only 12 monthly payments; there are 18.

4. Question 4 of 5

   Ava's partner died in March 2026. She delays claiming Bereavement Support Payment for five months. What might happen?

   Option A: Her claim may be reduced, as it was made over three months after the deathOption B: The payments will become subject to income taxOption C: Her payments will be doubled to compensate for the delayOption D: Her claim will be refused entirely because it was made after the deadline

   Show answer

   The answer is A: Her claim may be reduced, as it was made over three months after the death

   Where the partner died after 9 February 2023, claims made more than three months after the death may be reduced, so prompt claims matter.

   Why the other options are wrong

   B

   Bereavement Support Payment stays tax-free however late it's claimed.

   C

   There's no compensation for delay; a late claim can lose payments rather than gain them.

   D

   A late claim isn't refused outright; it may be reduced if made more than three months after the death.

5. Question 5 of 5

   How does receiving Bereavement Support Payment interact with other benefits?

   Option A: It counts in full towards the household benefit cap and most means testsOption B: It stops any contribution-based ESA or JSA from being paid while it lastsOption C: It reduces any Universal Credit award pound for pound while it is paidOption D: It's ignored for the cap and means tests, and new-style JSA or ESA is unaffected

   Show answer

   The answer is D: It's ignored for the cap and means tests, and new-style JSA or ESA is unaffected

   Bereavement Support Payment is excluded from benefit cap assessments and from income for income-based benefits, and does not affect entitlement to contribution-based JSA or ESA.

   Why the other options are wrong

   A

   Bereavement Support Payment is excluded from the benefit cap, not counted in full.

   B

   It doesn't affect entitlement to contribution-based (new-style) ESA or JSA.

   C

   It's ignored as income for income-based benefits, so it doesn't reduce Universal Credit pound for pound.

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