Bereavement Payment

You may get a Bereavement Payment if you are an Australian resident and your partner dies, or an adult for whom you are caring and receiving Carer Payment dies, or you are the carer or parent of a young child who dies.

To qualify you must have been:

• receiving a pension from Centrelink or Department of Veterans’ Affairs, or
• receiving a social security payment from Centrelink for at least 12 months, or
• receiving or entitled to receive Family Tax Benefit for the child who died.

The purpose of bereavement payment is to assist with settling financial affairs after a person’s death. It is not a separate payment. It is a continuation of the payment that was being received prior to the person’s death. Generally, bereavement payments continue at the same rate as was paid prior to the person’s death for a maximum period of 14 weeks. However you should contact your nearest Centrelink Customer Service Centre for a personal assessment, as the rate will differ depending on your circumstances.