Tynwald asked to extend bereavement benefits to cohabiting parents

Currently unmarried couples with children are not eligible for financial support

Cohabiting parents who have children will become eligible for bereavement benefits, if Tynwald approves the move.

Currently the benefits are only eligible to couples who are married or in civil partnerships.

The payments would be backdated to August 2018 and include expectant mothers in future.

Politicians will be asked to support the extension, which would bring the island in line with the UK, at the January sitting of Tynwald.

It comes after the UK ruled that excluding unmarried couples discriminated against children affected by their parents' relationship status.

Under current measures, bereaved spouses and civil partners under retirement age are eligible to receive a lump sum of £3,500 plus weekly payments of £139.10 a week up to 78 weeks.

Those with children qualify for the payments until their youngest child reaches the age of six, a measure that would be extended to cohabiting couples under the proposals.

Why not follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X? You can also send story ideas to [e-mail]