Some social welfare payments can continue after someone dies. That is, where someone who was getting a certain social welfare payment dies, their spouse/civil partner/cohabitant may get 6 weeks of this payment after the death. The 6-week payment will be paid at the same rate your late spouse/civil partner/cohabitant was getting. You may get the 6-week payment if your spouse/civil partner/cohabitant was getting one of the following payments and it included a payment (Increase for a Qualified Adult) for you:
If you are getting any of the payments listed above and your deceased spouse/civil partner/cohabitant was also getting one of the payments listed above in his or her own right, you may also continue to get your spouse's/civil partner's/cohabitant's payment for 6 weeks after their death, plus your own payment.
If you are getting on of the payments listed above and your spouse/civil partner/cohabitant was getting Carer’s Benefit or Carer’s Allowance you may continue to get his or her payment for 6 weeks after his or her death, plus your own payment.
If you are getting a social welfare payment that included a payment (Increase for a Qualified Adult) for your late spouse/civil partner/cohabitant, you will continue to get the same rate of payment for 6 weeks after their death.
If your child dies, payment of an Increase for a Qualified Child on your social welfare payment will usually continue for 6 weeks, if the child was included in your payment. Contact the section of the Department of Social Protection responsible for your payment.
You should also notify the Child Benefit Section of the Department about the death of the child.
Getting Carer's Allowance or Carer's Benefit and the person you are caring for dies:
If the person being cared for was your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant and he/she was getting a social welfare payment, your Carer's Allowance/Benefit will cease from the date of their death. However, your late spouse, civil partner or cohabitant's social welfare payment will be paid to you at the couple rate for 6 weeks after their death.
If your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant was not getting a social welfare payment, your Carer's Allowance/Benefit will continue for 6 weeks after their death.
If the person being cared for was not your spouse, civil partner or
cohabitant, Carer's Allowance/Benefit continues to be paid for 6 weeks after
their death.
The 6-week payment is normally paid in a lump sum by cheque.
To apply for a payment after death, you should contact the appropriate section within the Department of Social Protection, as soon as possible following the death. (The section you need to contact will depend on the type of payment the deceased received. For example, if the person who died was getting the State Pension, you need to get in touch with the Pension Section of the Department, etc.). Staff in your local social welfare office can advise if you are not sure where to contact.
Enclose the death certificate (if available) or a death notice from a newspaper with your application. You must also enclose the payment book(s) or cheque(s), if you have any. Do not cash existing cheques or vouchers from the pension book. A cheque will be sent for the amount of the 6 weeks payment. Keep your own record of the pension claim/reference number for future reference