Widowed People: Social Security Benefits
Work and Pensions
Written answers and statements, 4 November 2009
John Mann (Bassetlaw, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many widows and widowers (a) in total and (b) under 35 years old have received (i) the bereavement payment, (ii) widowed parents' allowance and (iii) bereavement allowance in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
Helen Goodman (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Work and Pensions; Bishop Auckland, Labour)
The available information is shown in the following tables:
| Bereavement benefits by type of bereavement benefit for recipients under age 35, Great Britain | |||||
| As at February each year | Total | Bereavement allowance not age related | Bereavement allowance age related | Widowed parents' allowance with dependants | Widowed parents' allowance without dependants |
| 2005 | 2,540 | (1)— | (1)— | 2,490 | 50 |
| 2006 | 2,620 | (1)— | (1)— | 2,580 | 50 |
| 2007 | 2,600 | (1)— | (1)— | 2,560 | 30 |
| 2008 | 2,600 | (1)— | (1)— | 2,570 | 30 |
| 2009 | 2,620 | (1)— | (1)— | 2,610 | 30 |
| Bereavement benefits by type of bereavement benefit for recipients of all ages, Great Britain. | |||||
| As at February each year | Total | Bereavement allowance not age related | Bereavement allowance age related | Widowed parents' allowance with dependants | Widowed parents' allowance without dependants |
| 2005 | 53,320 | 13,430 | 8,970 | 30,450 | 480 |
| 2006 | 56,450 | 13,440 | 8,530 | 34,040 | 440 |
| 2007 | 58,190 | 12,650 | 8,160 | 36,980 | 400 |
| 2008 | 58,930 | 11,570 | 7,570 | 39,430 | 370 |
| 2009 | 60,720 | 11,450 | 7,280 | 41,660 | 330 |
| (1) Nil or negligible. Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10; some additional disclosure control has also been applied. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. 'Widowed parents' allowance without dependants' includes women who were pregnant when widowed. Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. | |||||