Funeral costs

[bellazella]

If your deceased was not on benefits you will not get nothing towards the cost of their funeral?

[fredkins]

I am not really sure about this, but I know my father was not on any benefits and we had to pay for his funeral ourselves.

[EDDIE51]

This came up last week.
It is the person who organises the funeral that has to be on benefits to get a grant. NOT the deceased.
If the person who organises the funeral is on benefits then they get a funeral grant. The deceased could have been a millionaire but if the person organising the funeral is on benefits they can apply for a grant.
Most people that die are on benefits (Pension ) but a grant is only paid if the funeral organiser is on benefits as well.

[buildersmate]

You are correct.
The 'rules' enabling a near relative of the deceased to claim a one-off funeral payment of up to £700 are here.
http://www.direct.gov.../Bereaved/DG_10018660
It may have to be repaid out of the estate of the deceased later.

[Buenchico]

First point:
If nobody will pay for a funeral (either because they don't want to or simply can't afford to), the local authority must arrange (and pay for) a basic funeral. They can then seek to recover the costs from the estate of the deceased person but, if there was no estate left, the council must foot the bill.

Anyone considering going down that route must leave everything to the council. (They can't take over arrangements initiated by someone else).

Otherwise:
Eligibility for funeral payments depends upon the circumstances of the person arranging the funeral, not on that of the deceased. However the payment has to be repaid from the estate (if there is actually money to pay it back with):
http://www.direct.gov.../Bereaved/DG_10018660

Chris

[fredkins]

Hi Eddie51 what kind of benefits do'es the paying family have to be on to get this grant?

[EDDIE51]

It has to be one person that applies for the grant not a whole family.
Any income related benefit counts , state pension, pension credit, income based JSA / ESA check the official web site for details 2 of the answers above have the link.

[Mamyalynne]

http://www.direct.gov.../Bereaved/DG_10018660

[Mamyalynne]

Already given sorry.

[EDDIE51]

By the way all funeral directors HAVE BY LAW to provide a basic service for the price of the funeral grant. They do not like you knowing this and will try to say it is not possible but if you insist they have to do it.

[sunny-dave]

EDDIE has provided some very useful & helpful information - just one small point from the regulations though :

"If you get a Funeral Payment, it will have to be paid back from any estate of the person who died. The estate means any money, property and other things that the deceased person owned. A house or personal things that are left to a widow, widower or surviving civil partner will not be counted as part of the estate."

So if the deceased had any assets beyond the 'house and personal things' then there is no point deliberately finding someone on benefits to arrange the funeral - the estate will eventually have to pay it back.

[tonywiltshire]

There are benefits that may apply; the national insurance contributions of the deceased may apply, as will the claimant’s position.

Bereavement payment a single tax free payment of £2000.

Widowed parents allowance if you have dependant children and are under pension age.

Bereavement allowance, for those over 45 years old and paid for one year, amount dependant on age.

Contact your local jobcentre plus office and obtain the benefits pack