Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 section 248

Payments after death

Section 248 defines the benefits covered by the Act and sets out the rules for continuation of social welfare payments following the death of a claimant, a qualified adult, a qualified child, or a relevant person.

• Defines "benefit" to include over 20 types of social welfare payment, from illness benefit and jobseeker's benefit through to carer's allowance, working family payment, and back to work family dividend.
• Where a benefit recipient dies, payment generally continues for 6 weeks after death to their qualified adult, spouse, civil partner, or cohabitant — with longer continuation periods of 12 weeks for carer's allowance and 3 months for domiciliary care allowance.
• Continuation rules also apply where a qualified child, qualified adult, or the person being cared for dies — ensuring that the relevant increase or benefit is not cut off immediately.
• Entitlement to bereaved partner's pension and related survivor payments does not begin until after the 6-week continuation period has ended, unless regulations provide otherwise.