If you are on a low income and need help arranging the funeral you could get a funeral payment from the social fund.
However you may have to repay some or all of it back from the estate of the person who died.
To qualify for a funeral payment you or your partner (your spouse/civil partner or person you live with as if you were married/civil partners) must get one of the following:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Benefit (or the Council Tax payer where you live gets a Second Adult Rebate because you are on a low income)
- Working Tax Credit which includes a disability or severe disability element
- one of the extra elements of Child Tax Credit
You must also be either the:
- partner
- parent
- close relative
- close friend
of the deceased when they died.
A funeral payment can cover the necessary burial or cremation fees and certain other expenses. Also up to £700 for any other funeral expenses such as the funeral directors fees or a coffin.
You can claim a funeral payment from the date of death and up to 3 months after the date of the funeral.
There is no effect on other benefits from having a funeral payment.
There are also other types of benefits available.
For more information on these as well as funeral payments please visit the GOV.UK website.