Changes to funeral payments will make it easier for people on some income-related benefits to get help towards the cost of a funeral for loved ones.



The Minister for Family Support, Housing and Child Maintenance, Kit Malthouse has announced changes to Funeral Expenses Payments that will mean recipients can receive contributions from others without them being deducted from the payment, as well as introducing other improvements to make the whole system simpler.

Minister for Family Support, Housing and Child Maintenance, Kit Malthouse said:

We are committed to supporting vulnerable people going through bereavement. It is only right that we make it as simple as possible for people to get help towards funeral expenses during what is an extremely difficult time.

The improvements will include:

allowing recipients of a Funeral Expenses Payment to receive contributions from relatives, friends or charities without them being deducted from the payment
extending the claim period from 3 to 6 months from the date of the funeral
allowing people to submit evidence electronically to speed up the processing of claims and get decisions to claimants sooner
introducing a shorter application form to apply for help towards the cost of children’s funerals
The changes were confirmed in a written statement to Parliament on Monday 22 January following a consultation process.

The changes will come into effect in the spring.