At the beginning of February my world came crashing down when my partner Nigel died from a heart attack while out on a run. I found paramedics desperately trying to save him when I went out with our little boy to search for him. The heartbreak has only been made worse from the discrimination that I’ve suffered because Nigel and I weren’t married - this has to stop. 

Married couples are entitled to apply for a bereavement support payment of up to £7,700 to help deal with bills in the period after the death. But because I don’t have a piece of paper saying that we’re married, I get none of this support. 

I have struggled to even register his death and have been recorded as "person organising funeral" rather than his partner, or at the very least the mother of his child! According to the law, I don't count - I've even had to register him as single - a spit in the face for our 9 years together, because again, in the eyes of the law we just don't count or are even recognised.

It’s made me feel like I count for nothing and neither does our child - our beautiful son who is not yet even 3 years old. On top of losing my partner I now have to worry about how I’m going to pay the bills.

This to me is blatant discrimination, inequality and adds to an already painful process.

A decision in the Supreme Court 18 months ago ruled that giving bereavement support only to married couples is unlawful - but it continues to happen. How?! Words cannot describe just how angry I am about it all.

I’m calling for it to be possible to register as cohabiting on a death certificate, not just single. And for cohabiting couples to be able to access the same bereavement support as married couples. 

Please sign my petition to make sure that no one else has to go through the double pain of losing a partner and being exempt from bereavement support.