Funeral Expenses Payment - Getting help with funeral costs

The average attended funeral in the UK now costs £4,510*, making funerals a significant expense.

Even though it is possible to reduce funeral costs, you might still need help paying for a loved one’s funeral.

If you live in England and Wales and claim certain state benefits, you could be eligible for help with funeral costs, such as the 'Funeral Expenses Payment'.

If you live in Scotland, you can apply for a 'Funeral Support Payment', which replaced the Funeral Expenses Payment in Scotland in 2019.

What is the Funeral Expenses Payment?

Funeral Expenses Payment (also known as a Funeral Payment or Social Fund Funeral Payment) is a government grant that helps people on a low income or receiving certain means-tested benefits pay for a funeral they're arranging.

It's administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and is available in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. If you live in Scotland, the equivalent support is called Funeral Support Payment, run by Social Security Scotland.

You don't have to repay Funeral Expenses Payment yourself, but if the person who died left money or property (their "estate"), any payment you receive will usually be deducted from that estate before it's shared out.

The payment won't necessarily cover the full cost of a funeral, and how much you get depends on your circumstances, including any other money available, such as insurance policies or a pre-paid funeral plan.

Read on to check your eligibility, see what costs are covered, and find out how to claim.

Who qualifies for the Funeral Expenses Payment?

To qualify for the Funeral Expenses Payment, you must:

Be responsible for arranging the funeral
Receive certain benefits or tax credits
Meet the rules on your relationship with the deceased
Arrange a funeral in the UK, the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland

Benefits and tax credits you must get:

You (and your partner) must get one or more of the following:

Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Pension Credit
Housing Benefit
The disability or severe disability element of Working Tax Credit
Child Tax Credit
Universal Credit

You may also qualify if you're getting help through a Support for Mortgage Interest loan. You can still apply for the DWP Funeral Expenses Payment if you've applied for a qualifying benefit and are waiting to hear back.

If there's a close relative of the deceased who isn't getting one of the qualifying benefits, you may not be able to claim.

Rules on your relationship with the deceased:

You must be one of the following:

The partner of the deceased when they died
A close relative or close friend of the deceased
The parent of a baby stillborn after 24 weeks of pregnancy
The parent or person responsible for a deceased child who was under 16 (or under 20 and in approved education or training)

If there's a close relative of the deceased (such as a sibling or parent) who isn't getting one of the qualifying benefits, you may not be able to claim Funeral Payment, even if you were the one who organised everything.

If you do receive money from the deceased's estate, your Funeral Expenses Payment will be deducted from this. The estate includes any money or property they had, but not a house or personal belongings left to their widow, widower or surviving civil partner.

Importantly, this deduction doesn't apply to any arrears of benefit, Bereavement Support Payment, or contributions from charities, friends or relatives towards the funeral.

If the person who died was under 18, or your baby was stillborn, check whether the Children's Funeral Fund could cover the costs before claiming Funeral Expenses Payment.

How much is Funeral Expenses Payment?

Exactly how much you get will depend on your individual circumstances, including any other money available to cover costs, such as insurance policies or money from the deceased's estate.

It's unlikely the Funeral Expenses Payment will cover all the costs of the funeral (£4,510); on average, it covers well under half the cost of a simple funeral, so it's worth budgeting for a shortfall.

The Funeral Expenses Payment will help cover:

Burial fees for a particular plot, or cremation fees (including the cost of a doctor's certificate required for cremation)
Travel to arrange or attend the funeral
The cost of moving the body within the UK, if it's being moved more than 50 miles
Death certificate and any other documents needed

On top of this, you can get up to £1,000 for other funeral expenses, such as funeral director's fees, flowers or a coffin.

If the deceased had a prepaid funeral plan, you can only get up to £120 to help pay for items not included in that plan.

Check the claim form notes for full details of what the Funeral Expenses Payment covers.

How to make a claim

You can claim by calling the DWP Bereavement Service Helpline on 0800 151 2012 (Welsh language: 0800 731 0453), or by downloading a Funeral Expenses Payment claim form and sending the completed form by post. If you live in Northern Ireland, apply through the Bereavement Service on 0800 085 2463 instead.

You must apply for the Funeral Expenses Payment within six months of the date of the funeral, even if you're still waiting for a decision on a qualifying benefit. You can also claim before the funeral if you have an invoice or signed contract from the funeral director. However, you can't claim on the basis of an estimate alone.

If you're receiving Universal Credit, you won't receive a decision on your Funeral Expenses Payment claim until after your next UC payment is due.

If you disagree with a decision on your claim, you can appeal to the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal.

How the money is paid

The money will be paid directly to the organiser of the funeral (for example, the funeral director) if you haven't paid yet.

If you've already paid for the funeral, the Funeral Expenses Payment will be paid into your bank, building society or credit union account.

Funeral Support Payment in Scotland

If you live in Scotland, the Funeral Expenses Payment has been replaced by the Funeral Support Payment; a separate benefit administered by Social Security Scotland rather than the DWP.

Funeral Support Payment is a one-off payment that helps cover the cost of a funeral for a baby, child or adult, including stillbirths.

It won't usually cover the full cost of the funeral, unless you choose a low-cost option such as a direct cremation, but it should help pay for some expenses.

How much is Funeral Support Payment?

Social Security Scotland adds up the reasonable costs of the funeral, then deducts any money the person who died had access to. In most cases, you'll get:

The reasonable cost of burial, cremation or water cremation fees
Some travel and transport costs
A standard flat-rate payment of £1,327.75 towards other costs (or £162.05 if the person who died had a fully paid funeral plan)

This amount will be reduced if the deceased had money you can access to help pay for the funeral, such as savings, a life insurance policy, a pension lump sum or a burial club membership.

It won't be reduced by benefit arrears, a DWP Bereavement Support Payment, or contributions from family, friends or charities towards the funeral bill.

Who can get Funeral Support Payment

You can get a Funeral Support Payment if all of the following apply:

You live in Scotland (the person who died may have lived anywhere in the UK)
You or your partner are responsible for arranging the funeral, and it's reasonable for you to take on that responsibility
You or your partner are getting one of the qualifying benefits (see below)
The funeral is being held in the UK or, in some circumstances, in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland
You're applying after the person has died, up to 6 months after the date of their funeral

You (or your partner) must be getting one of the following at the time you apply:

Universal Credit
Income Support
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
Pension Credit
Housing Benefit

Unlike the Funeral Expenses Payment paid in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, tax credits (such as Working Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit) don't count towards eligibility in Scotland.

Social Security Scotland will usually expect the closest living relative, such as a partner, child or parent, to take responsibility for the funeral costs.

If you're not the closest relative, you'll need to explain why you've taken this on when you apply. You can't get a Funeral Support Payment if you've already received a Funeral Expenses Payment (England/Wales) or a Funeral Payment (Northern Ireland) for the same funeral.

How to apply

You can apply online for Funeral Support Payment and most people take around 25–35 minutes to complete the application form.

Alternatively, you can apply by phone on 0800 182 2222 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm), or by post using a paper form. Social Security Scotland aims to make a decision within 10 working days of receiving all the evidence they need.

If you disagree with a decision, or think the amount is wrong, you can ask Social Security Scotland to look at your application again (a "re-determination").

Other help with funeral costs that may be available:

If you're not eligible for the Funeral Expenses Payment, or it doesn't cover everything you need, there are several other sources of financial help worth checking.

Bereavement Support Payment

You may be able to get Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) if your husband, wife or civil partner died in the last 21 months. Unlike the Funeral Expenses Payment, BSP is not means-tested and your income and savings won't affect what you receive.

To qualify, you must have been under State Pension age when your partner died, and they must have paid a minimum amount of National Insurance contributions in a single tax year (unless they died as a result of an accident at work or an industrial disease, in which case this condition is waived).

You'll get an initial lump sum followed by up to 18 further monthly payments. There are two rates: a higher rate if you're entitled to Child Benefit or were pregnant when your partner died, and a standard rate for everyone else.

You must claim within 3 months of your partner's death to get the full amount. You can claim up to 21 months after their death, but you'll receive fewer monthly payments the longer you wait.

Bereavement Support Payment has replaced Bereavement Allowance (previously Widow's Pension), Bereavement Payment, and Widowed Parent's Allowance.

Children's Funeral Fund for England

The Children's Funeral Fund for England can help cover the costs of a funeral for a child under the age of 18, or for a baby stillborn after the 24th week of pregnancy, where the burial or cremation takes place in England.

Unlike the Funeral Expenses Payment and Bereavement Support Payment, the Children's Funeral Fund for England is not means-tested. This means your income and savings don't affect what you can receive.

The fund can help pay for burial or cremation fees, including the cost of a doctor's certificate, and provides up to £300 towards a coffin, shroud or casket. If a funeral director is arranging the funeral, they can usually claim these costs directly, so parents don't need to submit that part of the claim themselves.

If you're eligible for the Funeral Expenses Payment, you may also be able to apply separately for this to help cover other funeral costs, up to £1,000.

In Wales, burial and cremation fees aren't charged for children's funerals. In Scotland, the Scottish Government works with local authorities to ensure burial and cremation fees are not charged for children's funerals. In Northern Ireland, a separate Children's Funeral Fund is available through the local Health and Social Care Trust.

Local authority hardship funds

Some local authorities run their own discretionary hardship funds, which can be used to help with funeral costs following a bereavement. Availability and eligibility criteria vary by council, so it's worth contacting your local authority directly to ask what's available in your area.

Budgeting Loan or Budgeting Advance

If you've been getting certain benefits for a while and the Funeral Expenses Payment doesn't cover everything, you may be able to apply for an interest-free Budgeting Loan (in England, Wales and Northern Ireland) or a Budgeting Advance (if you're on Universal Credit) to help spread the cost.

To qualify for a Budgeting Loan, you'll usually need to have been receiving Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance for at least 6 months.

Repayments are typically spread over up to 104 weeks and deducted directly from your future benefit payments. You can apply online if you live in England or Wales.

This is a loan, not a grant, so you will need to pay it back, but it's interest-free, which makes it a lower-cost option than commercial credit if you need to cover a funeral shortfall.

Charitable grants

A number of charities offer one-off grants towards funeral costs, particularly where someone doesn't qualify for government support. Which charity is relevant to you usually depends on your circumstances, such as the cause of death, your age, occupation, or nationality. Charities to consider include:

Turn2us - Runs a free grant search tool to help you find charities relevant to your specific circumstances
Quaker Social Action - Offers a funeral costs helpline and guidance for anyone struggling with funeral costs
Marie Curie - May help if the death was related to a terminal illness
Leukaemia Care - May help if the death was related to blood cancer
The Child Funeral Charity, React and Children are Butterflies - Support with children's funeral costs
Friends of the Elderly - May help if the person who died was older
ScotsCare - May help Scots living in London
Care Workers Charity - May help if the person who died worked in social care

Eligibility and available funding vary by charity and change over time, so it's worth checking each organisation's current criteria before applying.

Crowdfunding for funeral costs

Crowdfunding has become an increasingly common way to raise money for funeral costs, particularly where family and friends want to contribute but government or charitable support doesn't cover enough.

Platforms such as JustGiving and GoFundMe allow you to set up a page explaining your situation and share it with family, friends and your wider community.

Unlike the Funeral Expenses Payment or Funeral Support Payment, money raised through crowdfunding isn't means-tested and won't usually be deducted from any government support you receive, since it's a personal contribution from donors rather than the deceased's estate.

Public Health Funeral

Public Health Funerals, often referred to as a 'pauper's funeral', are arranged by local authorities for people who have died with no next of kin, or whose next of kin, relatives or friends are unable or unwilling to make arrangements.

In England and Wales, this is a legal duty under Section 46 of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984.

If a Public Health Funeral goes ahead, the next of kin relinquishes control and decision-making over the arrangements to the local authority, which will typically provide a simple, standardised service.

The local authority can recover the cost of the funeral from the deceased's estate, but not from the next of kin personally.

Local authority policies on what can be personalised - such as a choice of music or reading, where this can be accommodated at no extra cost - vary, so it's worth asking your local council directly what their arrangements allow.

Help with funeral costs: reducing costs and planning ahead

If you don't qualify for government help with funeral costs, or it doesn't stretch far enough, there are still ways to make a funeral more affordable - both now and in the future.

Choose a simple, affordable funeral

At Simplicity, we provide simple funerals which cover the essential elements of a cremation, without the obligation to pay for traditional ceremonial elements you may feel are unnecessary, helping to reduce funeral costs.

Our services are available throughout all of mainland Great Britain, from just £[CONFIRM PRICE].

Plan ahead with a prepaid funeral plan

One of the most effective ways to get help with funeral costs is to plan ahead. A prepaid funeral plan lets you:

Lock in today's price - Pay at current rates and protect against future funeral price inflation, which has consistently outpaced general inflation in recent years
Protect your loved ones from the cost - So your family isn't left to cover funeral expenses, apply for government support, or make decisions under financial pressure while grieving
Choose the funeral you want - Specify the type of funeral, so your wishes are known and followed, rather than leaving those decisions to your family at a difficult time

For help arranging an affordable funeral or to explore a direct cremation funeral plans, contact us today. Our phone lines are open 24/7.

Sources:

*Report https://www.sunlife.co.uk/ over-50-life-insurance/funeral-costs/