Government support for funeral costs

Funeral Expenses Payment

This service is provided by the government, to support people who claim certain benefits to help pay for a funeral.

This payment does not usually cover all of the costs of a funeral.

How much you get depends on your circumstances, and also includes any other money that’s available to cover the costs, for example from an insurance policy or the deceased person’s estate.

If the deceased had a pre-paid funeral plan, you can only get up to £120 to help pay for items not covered by their plan. The money will be paid directly to Co-op Funeralcare if you have not paid yet.

A Funeral Expenses Payment claim form (SF200) may be obtained from a Jobcentre Plus office, or can be downloaded here. However, the easiest way to claim Funeral Expenses Payment is by phone. Call 0800 731 0469 and choose option 2.

Click here for more information on Funeral Expenses Payment.

Bereavement Support Payment

Bereavement Support Payment is available if your husband, wife or civil partner died on or after 6 April 2017. You could be eligible if your partner either:

•paid National Insurance contributions for at least 25 weeks

•died because of an accident at work or a disease caused by work

When they died you must have been under State Pension age and living in the UK.

You can apply using a form or by phone.

Download a Bereavement Support Payment pack (form BSP1) or order it over the phone from your local Jobcentre Plus.

Bereavement Service helpline: 0800 731 0469

Welsh language: 0800 731 0453

Bereavement Payment

This is a one-off, tax-free lump sum payment of £2,000 could be claimed if your spouse or civil partner died before 6th April 2017. If your spouse or civil partner died on or after 6th April 2017 please see Berevement Support Payment.

How do I know whether I'm eligible?

You may be eligible for a Bereavement Payment if when your husband, wife or civil partner died, you were:

• Under the State Pension age
• Over the State Pension age and your husband, wife or civil partner wasn’t entitled to a State Pension based on the contributions they made to their National Insurance

Use a BB1 form to make a claim, available from the Job Centre Plus or call the Bereavement Service Helpline on 0800 731 0469.

Additionally, your husband, wife or civil partner must must have paid enough National Insurance contributions, or died as a result of an industrial accident or disease.

Budgeting Loan

This is an interest-free loan for those on income related benefits, to help towards the cost of your loved one’s funeral.

The repayments come directly from your benefits and you only pay back what you’ve borrowed.

How do I know whether I'm eligible?

You may be eligible for a Budgeting Loan if you, your husband, wife or civil partner have been receiving one of the below benefits for at least 26 weeks:

• Income Support
• An income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• An income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• A Pension Credit

 What financial support will this offer?

The maximum amount you’ll receive is £812 if you’re eligible and have children.

The amount you’ll receive also depends on:

• Your ability to pay the loan back
• If you have over £1,000 of savings (or £2,000 if you or your husband, wife or civil partner are over 62)

For further  information or to apply visit: www.gov.uk/budgeting-help-benefits

Council Funeral 

Under the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984, local councils have a legal responsibility to make the funeral arrangements or cremation of the body of a person who’s died or has been found dead within their borough, where there’s no other alternative. It’s the council’s responsibility to recover the costs of the funeral from the estate of the deceased.