Funeral expenses payment rises

The amount of money that the Government will pay towards a funeral has risen from £700 to £1000 for claims made where the person has died after the 8th April. This change applies to England and Wales under Funeral Expenses Payments and in Northern Ireland as well.

The payment is made to help pay funeral costs, but will not cover all the costs incurred when making funeral arrangements. The amount paid depends on the individual claiming's circumstances and will also be reduced if the deceased had savings or left an estate. Claimants might still have to pay for some or most of the costs themselves.

A maximum of £120 can be paid where the deceased had a funeral plan but certain items weren't covered under that plan.

The money is paid to those who meet the eligibility criteria where the claimant is either partner, close relative or a close friend of the deceased and is in receipt of certain state benefits such as Universal Credit, Income Based Jobseekers Allowance, Pension Credit, Child Tax Credit etc.

The full list of benefits and details of how to claim can be found on the government’s website:

https://www.gov.uk/funeral-payments

For Scotland, the Funeral Expenses Payment has been replaced by Funeral Support Payment. Ths is a one-off payment from Social Security Scotland which helps cover the costs of a funeral for those on a low income. The payment is far more generous at a maximum of £1500.

To receive it, the claimant must normally live in Scotland and must get one of the applicable benefits. The Claimant must have accepted responsibility for paying for the funeral, and must be named on the funeral bill.

To find out more, visit the gov.scot website

For Northern Ireland, guidance and forms are available at the NI direct website


Statutory regulation for the Funeral Industry draws closer

As reported on the Funeral Service Times website, the National Association of Funeral Directors have given their backing to tighter regulation of the industry following the Competition and Marketing Authority's investigation into practice in the funeral industry.

However they oppose any form of price regulation as mentioned in the CMA's interim report last November, stating that "price caps will do nothing to assist funeral affordability for the poorest in society".

Read more in the article on the Funeral Service Times Website


Daily Mirror highlights Funeral Poverty issues

The Daily Mirror has recently highlighted the growing issue of Funeral Poverty and how it can affect individuals.

The article, published on the 10th July, highlights the issues that surround the death of a loved one and the problems it can leave bereaved families with the rising costs of funeral provision.

Read the full article here Daily Mirror Article