Financial help with funeral costs
Financial help with funeral costs
Information on financial support for funeral costs and eligibility criteria.
Paying for funeral costs
If you are the person responsible for funeral arrangements, you must ensure the bill is paid.
Costs may be paid using money from:
- the deceased's estate
- a funeral scheme or prepaid funeral plan the deceased may have been paying into
- a life insurance policy or pension scheme
- the bank or building society of the deceased, if they agree to release funds to pay for funeral costs
- you or the executer, you may be able to recover money from the estate later
People who receive certain benefits
If you feel costs are too high and you or your partner receive any of the following benefits, you may be eligible:
- income support
- income-based jobseekers allowance
- income-related employment and support allowance
- pension credit
- council tax benefit, or if the council taxpayer where you live gets a second adult rebate because you are on a low income
- working tax credit, including disability or severe disability element
- child tax credit at a rate higher than the family element
Funding decisions that will be taken to account:
- your relationship with the person who died
- other available funds (excluding your personal savings) to cover funeral costs
Visit the Department for Work and Pensions' funeral payments page for more information.
Support if your partner dies
This is dependent on your age and whether your deceased husband, wife or civil partner paid National Insurance contributions.
You may be able to get one or more of the following bereavement benefits:
- bereavement payment: one off tax-free payment
- bereavement allowance: a weekly benefit which can be paid for up to 52 weeks
- widowed parent's allowance: a weekly benefit if you are a widow, widower or your civil partner has died, and you have a child or a qualifying young person between 16 and 20
For more information:
Telephone: 0345 6060 265
Useful organisations for further information
Citizens Advice helps people resolve legal, money and other problems by providing free, independent and confidential advice.
National Association of Funeral Directors
Telephone: 0121 711 1343
National Society of Allied Independent Funeral Directors
Telephone: 0345 230 6777
Telephone: 01279 726 777
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