Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992

37 Widowed mother’s allowance. E+W+S

(1) A woman who has been widowed shall be entitled to a widowed mother’s allowance at the rate determined in accordance with section 39 below if her late husband satisfied the contribution conditions for a widowed mother’s allowance specified in Schedule 3, Part I, paragraph 5 and either—

(a) the woman is entitled to child benefit in respect of a child [F1 or qualifying young person] falling within subsection (2) below; or

(b) the woman is pregnant by her late husband; or

(c) if the woman and her late husband were residing together immediately before the time of his death, the woman is pregnant as the result of being artificially inseminated before that time with the semen of some person other than her husband, or as the result of the placing in her before that time of an embryo, of an egg in the process of fertilisation, or of sperm and eggs.

(2) A child [F2 or qualifying young person] falls within this subsection if F3 ... the child [F4 or qualifying young person] is either—

(a) a son or daughter of the woman and her late husband; or

(b) a child [F5 or qualifying young person] in respect of whom her late husband was immediately before his death entitled to child benefit; or

(c) if the woman and her late husband were residing together immediately before his death, a child [F5 or qualifying young person] in respect of whom she was then entitled to child benefit.

(3) The widow shall not be entitled to the allowance for any period after she remarries [F6 or forms a civil partnership], but, subject to that, she shall continue to be entitled to it for any period throughout which she satisfies the requirements of subsection (1)(a), (b) or (c) above.

(4) A widowed mother’s allowance shall not be payable—

(a) for any period falling before the day on which the widow’s entitlement is to be regarded as commencing for that purpose by virtue of section 5(1)(k) of the Administration Act; F7 ... [F8 or]

[F9 (b) for any period during which she and a man to whom she is not married are living together as husband and wife [F10 or

(c) for any period during which she and a woman who is not her civil partner are living together as if they were civil partners.]]

[F9 (b) for any period during which she and a person whom she is not married to, or in a civil partnership with, are living together as a married couple.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 37(1)(a) inserted (10.4.2006) by Child Benefit Act 2005 (c. 6), s. 6(2), Sch. 1 para. 2(2)

F2 Words in s. 37(2) inserted (10.4.2006) by Child Benefit Act 2005 (c. 6), s. 6(2), Sch. 1 para. 2(3)(a)

F3 Words in s. 37(2) repealed (7.10.2008) by Welfare Reform Act 2007 (c. 5), ss. 50, 70(2), Sch. 8; S.I. 2008/2101, art. 2(3)(a); S.I. 2009/775, art. 2(b); for savings see S.I. 2003/938, art. 4; S.I. 2008/2101, art. 3(3); S.I. 2009/775, art. 3

F4 Words in s. 37(2) inserted (10.4.2006) by Child Benefit Act 2005 (c. 6), s. 6(2), Sch. 1 para. 2(3)(b)

F5 Words in s. 37(2) inserted (10.4.2006) by Child Benefit Act 2005 (c. 6), s. 6(2), Sch. 1 para. 2(3)(c)

F6 Words in s. 37(3) inserted (5.12.2005) by Civil Partnership Act 2004 (c. 33), s. 263(8)(d), Sch. 24 para. 18(2); S.I. 2005/3175, art. 2(1), Sch. 1

F7 Word in s. 37(4)(a) repealed (5.12.2005) by Civil Partnership Act 2004 (c. 33), s. 263(10)(b)(d), Sch. 30; S.I. 2005/3175, art. 2(6)

F8 Word in s. 37(4) inserted (E.W.) (13.3.2014) by The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 (Consequential and Contrary Provisions and Scotland) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/560), art. 1(2), Sch. 1 para. 22(3)

F9 S. 37(4)(b) substituted for s. 37(4)(b)(c) (E.W.) (13.3.2014) by The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 (Consequential and Contrary Provisions and Scotland) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/560), art. 1(2), Sch. 1 para. 22(3)

F10 S. 37(4)(c) and preceding word inserted (5.12.2005) by Civil Partnership Act 2004 (c. 33), s. 263(8)(d), Sch. 24 para. 18(3); S.I. 2005/3175, art. 2(1), Sch. 1

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 37(1) modified by The Social Security Benefit (Dependency) Regulations 1977 (S.I. 1977/343), reg. 4B (as substituted (9.4.2001) by S.I. 2000/1483, regs. 1, 5)