Help with funeral costs

Help in paying for funeral expenses
Arranging a funeral can be a deeply distressing experience even without the addition of financial pressure. Help may be available if the person responsible paying for the funeral, or their partner are receiving certain benefits.

Deighan’s are at hand to give you all the advice and support you need.

FUNERAL PAYMENT FROM THE GOVERNMENT
Funeral Payment is a government scheme for people on a low income who are receiving certain benefits to help them pay for a funeral.

If you get a Funeral Payment, you’ll usually have to pay the government back from any money you get from the person’s estate, such as their savings.

It won’t cover the whole funeral bill, so you might have to pay up to a third of the cost of a simple funeral.

It can help to pay for:

– death certificates or other documents
– cremation fees, including the cost of the doctor’s certificate
– travel to arrange or go to the funeral
– the cost of moving the body within the UK, if it’s being moved more than 50 miles – burial fees for a particular plot

You can also get money for any other funeral expenses, such as funeral director’s fees, flowers or the coffin. You can get up to:

– £700 if the person died before 8 April 2020
– £1,000 if the person died on or after 8 April 2020

Who gets it?
If you’re getting one of the following benefits you may be eligible:

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

How do I claim?
You have six months from the date of the funeral to make a claim.

Visit GOV.UK for more information on eligibility and how to apply claim this benefit.

www.gov.uk/funeral-payments

Children’s Funeral Fund (CFF)
The Children’s Funeral Fund for England (CFF) is a scheme to provide funding for the fees charged for any burial or cremation of a child aged 16 or under, or stillborn after 24 weeks of pregnancy. The fund also covers certain associated expenses.

Parents can also claim directly from the scheme if they choose not to use a funeral director.

War Disablement Pension
Another possible source of help with funeral costs, is if your loved one was receiving War Disablement Pension or died as a result of serving in HM Forces. In this scheme, Veterans UK will contribute to the cost of a simple funeral.

To check eligibility criteria, visit Veterans UK or call their dedicated bereavement line on 0800 1693458.

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.

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 get fewer monthly payments.

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

You could be eligible if your partner either:
– paid National Insurance contributions for at least 25 weeks in one tax year
– died because of an accident at work or a disease caused by work

When they died you must have been:
– under State Pension age
– living in the UK or a country that pays bereavement benefits

You cannot claim BSP if you’re in prison.

BSP is available to those who have lost a spouse or civil partner. It is not available to those who have lost an unmarried or cohabiting partner. When your spouse or civil partner died you must have been under State Pension age.

For more information and eligibility visit www.gov.uk/bereavement-support-payment

Charitable Funds
Charitable funds, or benevolent society funds, can be really helpful if your loved one died in a way that makes you eligible to apply for one. The funds are usually connected a certain trade, service, profession, or location, and there will be additional criteria that each of them will require for you to receive a
funeral grant. Many trade unions will also have emergency funds available to help members and their dependents in case of sudden loss or bereavement.

If you are struggling to find out how to pay for a funeral with no money put aside in your loved ones will, then their respective trade union may be a good place to start.

Prepaid funeral plans
If your loved one had a funeral plan, please call us for more information and to start making arrangements. The family need to provide a copy of the certificate for burial or cremation (green form from registrars). We can take it from there, helping you every step of the way.

We are here to help
If you’re unsure, we’ll be happy to run through the various options. For more information and advice please contact us.