Help with funeral costs

You may be eligible for help with funeral costs, but in some cases you will need to meet the requirements of the payment scheme offered.

Funeral Expenses 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 one of these payments, 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 up to £1,000 for any other funeral expenses, such as funeral director's fees, flowers or the coffin.

Benefits and tax credits you must be in receipt of:

You (or your partner) must get one or more of the following:

• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Pension Credit
• Housing Benefit
• the disability or severe disability element of Working Tax Credit
• Child Tax Credit
• Universal Credit

You might also be eligible if you're getting a Support for Mortgage Interest loan.

You can still claim Funeral Expenses Payment if you've applied for these benefits and you're waiting to hear about your claim.