An administrative error left Northern Ireland’s statutory bereavement damages £200 lower than intended between November 2022 and November 2025, and the Department of Justice is now inviting affected people to claim the shortfall.

The Department has identified that the fixed bereavement award prescribed in 2022 was set below the correct level. The payment is made to specified relatives when a death is caused by another party's negligence.

The discrepancy arose because the 2022 inflationary review used CPIH (the Consumer Prices Index including housing costs) instead of CPI, resulting in the sum being set at £17,200 rather than £17,400. The mistake only became apparent after a further uplift at the end of 2025, which was applied correctly.

To put matters right, the Department is offering an ex gratia payment of £200 to eligible claimants. The affected period covers cases where the cause of action—usually the date of death—fell between 1 November 2022 and 30 November 2025. Anyone who has received statutory bereavement damages, has made a claim, or intends to make a claim relating to a death within that window should contact their solicitor to confirm whether they are entitled to the additional £200.

Claimants are asked to complete the online form on the Department's website and send it to their solicitor, who will verify the details and submit it to the Department. A pro forma is available in the publications section of the site.

The Department expects the number of payments made so far to be relatively small, given the time such claims typically take to conclude.

Under the Fatal Accidents (Northern Ireland) Order 1977, dependants may claim damages for a death caused by negligence, and specified relatives may also claim a fixed bereavement award set by the Department and reviewed every three years in line with CPI.

The Department expressed its gratitude to the Law Society of Northern Ireland for its assistance.