My partner sadly passed away a week Tuesday from a brain tumour with the funeral on the 22nd. We’d been together for just over 18 years with 2 kids (9 and 13) and never married because of problems in her parents marriage which was never an issue.
Her journey with cancer was unexpected and the prognosis at the time of diagnosis was 6-12 months although she fought on for nearly 3 years and although after the 12 months I used to pray that I’d be taken before her but it never happened and I guess it was just her time.
The kids seem to be coping well, probably better than me if the truth be told but I guess over the 3 years she had been deteriorating slowly so the kids became more reliant on me so when she passed away, especially for my youngest who doesn’t seem to be too fazed….
We never spoke about death, as not only would it of been upsetting for her but I didn’t want to talk about It or think about life without her. We had previously left Wills in which we left everything to each other so from that side I thought we had things covered. We spoke about marriage but I didn’t see the need for getting married at that time as I say I thought we had it all covered.
I have just been made aware a bereavement payment for me and the kids but because we never married I would not be entitled to this…??? If I would of known this beforehand we probably would of got married in the last 3 years. I cannot understand it really because there would of been a monthly payment for the kids for a set period of time however I am not entitled to this…
Off course it’s not all about £ and pence but I’m sure as a redundant single dad it will take me about 6 months to get back to normal from a work perspective anyway but envisage I’ll have to find something part time to suit the kids but it will be tough…
I’d be interested to know if anyone has applied for a bereavement payment as a partner and successfully got It.
