Three types of compensation for work-related deaths: funeral allowance, survivor’s pension, and one-time death benefit

There are three distinct payments related to work-related deaths — don’t focus on just one of them. The funeral allowance equals six months of the average monthly wage of local workers from the previous year. The survivor’s pension is paid monthly based on the deceased worker’s wage: 40% goes to the spouse, while other eligible dependents each receive 30% of that wage. The one-time death benefit is a fixed amount nationwide: it equals 20 times the per capita disposable income of urban residents across China in the prior year.

No cost involved; only a set of administrative procedures are required.

Three separate payments are provided for work-related deaths. First, the funeral allowance equals six months of the average monthly wage of workers in the relevant regional insurance pool. Second, the survivor’s pension is paid monthly at rates set relative to the deceased worker’s wage: 40% for the spouse, 30% for each other eligible dependent. Third, the one-time death benefit is a single nationwide amount equal to 20 times the per capita disposable income of urban residents in China from the previous year, with no regional variations. For deaths occurring in 2026, this benefit totals roughly 1.13 million yuan (1,130,040 yuan), calculated as 56,502 yuan — the prior year’s per capita disposable income for urban residents — multiplied by 20.

The one-time death benefit is standardized nationwide, and its exact amount updates each year based on data released by China’s National Bureau of Statistics. When negotiating compensation, claims citing “lower local standards in our region” are not valid.

工伤保险条例第三十九条：「（一）丧葬补助金为6个月的统筹地区上年度职工月平均工资；（二）供养亲属抚恤金按照职工本人工资的一定比例发给由因工死亡职工生前提供主要生活来源、无劳动能力的亲属。标准为：配偶每月40%，其他亲属每人每月30%，孤寡老人或者孤儿每人每月在上述标准的基础上增加10%……（三）一次性工亡补助金标准为上一年度全国城镇居民人均可支配收入的20倍。」. https://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2011/content_1778064.htm；国家统计局 (2026). 2025 年居民收入和消费支出情况. https://www.stats.gov.cn/sj/zxfbhjd/202601/t20260119_1962321.html