The Childhood Bereavement Network (CBN) has published the estimates – based on data from the Office for National Statistics – in a bid to raise awareness of the impact that bereavement is having on many children.
It is also raising concerns about the impact that changes to the Widowed Parent’s Allowance might have on grieving families.
It comes as the first ever Children’s Grief Awareness Week took place, raising awareness of grieving children and the support and services available to them.
It is often schools that play a key role in supporting grieving children and their families.
Alison Penny, coordinator of the CBN, said: “It’s extraordinary that we collect official data in this country on the number of children affected by their parents divorcing, but not on the numbers affected by a parent dying.
“It’s a sign that we don’t pay enough attention to this huge change in children’s lives – despite recent tragic events reminding us of the powerful impact of loss. These estimates will go some way to filling the information gap, and help us to understand more about where support is needed.”
However, from April 2017, the current system of Widowed Parent’s Allowance is to be replaced by a Bereavement Support Payment, which will be paid over a much shorter time and stopped at the first anniversary of the death.
Ms Penny continued: “We estimate that three quarters of widowed parents will be worse off under the new plans, and those with younger children will be disproportionately hit by the cuts.
“Families with longer term financial needs will get this through Universal Credit, on condition that they are actively seeking and available for work. Those conditions will be relaxed for six months after the death, but that may still mean that they have to go back to work or start working before their grieving children are ready.
“‘We’re worried about other changes to the welfare landscape too: limiting the child element of Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit to two children to new claimants from 2017 will mean that widows and widowers with larger families will suffer.”
Furthermore, the new Bereavement Support Payment won’t be paid to cohabiting partners, despite the fact that last year almost one third of births were to parents living together but not married.
For more on Children’s Grief Awareness Week, visit www.childrensgriefawarenessweek.com
For details on the work of the CBN, visit www.childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk