What is the Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension?

8 January 2026
By Bryan McCarthy
bryan@TheCork.ie

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension

South Munster Citizens Information

The Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension is a weekly payment to the partner of a deceased person. A partner can be a husband, wife, civil partner or cohabitant.

This payment was called the Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension. In July 2025, it was renamed and extended to include cohabitants (cohabitating couples). If your partner died before July 2025, you may still qualify 

The pension is payable regardless of other income.

How to qualify for the Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension

To qualify for the Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension:

• You must be a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of the deceased. If you are a cohabitant, you must be cohabiting for at least 5 years (or 2 years if you have dependent children together)
• Either you or your partner must have enough social insurance contributions (PRSI).  

All the PRSI requirements must be met on one person’s record – you may not combine the couple’s contributions. All PRSI contributions must have been made before the death of your partner. Virtually all PRSI contributions count towards this pension, including contributions paid by public servants and the self-employed. Contact your local Citizen Information Centre for more information

Does it make a difference if my partner was getting a State Pension (Contributory)?

You may automatically qualify for a Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension if your late partner was getting a State Pension (Contributory) which included an increase for you as their adult dependent (or would have included an increase but for the fact that you were getting a State Pension (Non-Contributory), Blind Pension or Carer’s Allowance).

There is no automatic qualification if your late partner was getting a mixed insurance pro-rata, EU/Bilateral Agreement pro-rata or Pre-53 pension. In all such cases you should apply in the normal way.

Will I qualify for if my relationship had ended?

If you are divorced or your civil partnership was dissolved, and the death of your partner occurs on or after 21 July 2025, you will not get the Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension.

If you are separated, annulled or have stopped cohabiting, you will not get a Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension if you had lived apart and were not in an intimate and committed relationship for a period of at least 2 years immediately before the date of death of your partner. A relationship can continue to be ‘intimate’ even if it is not sexual.

How long is the Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension paid?

If you re-marry or start to cohabit, the Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension is no longer payable.

If your circumstances change and you re-marry or start to cohabit, you must notify in writing the Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension section in the Department of Social Protection .

If you have dependent children, you can get Child Support Payments (previously called Increases for Qualified Children) with your pension – these remain payable while the child is aged under 18 and they may continue to be paid until age 22 if the child is in full-time education.

Can I claim the Bereaved Persons Contributory Pension if I am employed?

Since this is a contributory pension, you may earn any amount of money from any other source and still remain entitled to this pension. It is taxable. If it is your only source of income, you are unlikely to have to pay tax.

What is the current rate of Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension in 2025?

The table below summarises the current rates:

A Living Alone Increase and/or an Increase for people aged 66 or over living on an island may also be paid.

You automatically get an increase of €10 in your pension when you reach 80 years of age.

Can the Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension be backdated?

In July 2025, the payment was extended to include cohabitants (cohabitating couples). If your partner died before July 2025, you may still qualify.

If your partner died before 22 January 2024 and you qualify for the Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension, your payment will be backdated to 22 January 2024. If your partner died on or after 22 January 2024 and you are eligible for the Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension, it will be backdated to the date of death.

You have 6 months from 21 July 2025 to apply and get the payment backdated to the 22 January 2024 or date of death, if later. If the application is not made within this period, then the maximum backdating of the payment will be 6 months from the date of your application.

How do you apply for the Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension?

You can only apply for this payment by post. To apply, fill in a Bereaved Partner’s Pension form. You can download the form or pick it up from your local social welfare office or Citizens Information Centre.

What are my options if I do not have enough PRSI to qualify for the Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension?

You can apply for the Bereaved Partner’s (Non-Contributory) Pension, which is a means-tested payment. It is paid to a bereaved partner who does not qualify for the PRSI-based Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension and who do not have dependent children. People with dependent children should apply for the One-Parent Family Payment or Jobseeker’s Transitional payment. You can contact your local Citizens Information Centre for information about the means test and how to apply.

Further information on this and other topics is available from Cork City Centre CIC in Cornmarket Street, open to the public on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9.45am to 12.30pm and Wednesdays from 2pm to 4pm, Tel 0818 07 6950 (Lines open Mon-Fri 10am-4.30pm).  Blackpool CIC is also open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays  from 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm, Tel 0818 07 6890 while Hollyhill CIC is open Mondays and Fridays from 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm, Tel: 0818 07 6850.

Information is also available from the Citizens Information Phone Service Tel: 0818 07 4000 (9am – 8pm, Mon – Fri) or online at www.citizensinformation.ie