FUNERALS
Who pays for the funeral
and how?
Funeral costs
If you arrange a funeral you’re responsible for paying the bill, so first
check where the money will come from and if there will be enough.
Request written quotations so you know what costs are involved.
Funeral costs may be paid in different ways including:
• from the estate of the deceased
• funeral payment scheme may exist - you’ll need to check
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paperwork to see if a plan exists
• oney from a life insurance policy or pension scheme
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• he deceased’s bank or building society may agree to release funds to
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pay for funeral costs
• ou, or the executor, may need to pay and then recover the money
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from the estate later.
Funeral costs for the same services may vary considerably from one
funeral director to another. You would be advised to get more than one
quote to compare costs and services.
Disbursements are fees paid to others, for example, for doctors’
certificates, a minister, newspaper announcements, flowers or the
crematorium.
Financial help
Bereavement
Allowance
If you are widowed you may
be able to claim Bereavement
Allowance, a taxable weekly
benefit paid to you for up to
52 weeks from the date of
death of your husband, wife or
civil partner.
You may be able to claim
Bereavement Allowance if all
of the following apply:
• ou’re a widow, widower or
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surviving civil partner aged 45
or over when your husband,
wife or civil partner died
• ou’re not bringing up
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children
• ou’re under state pension
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age
• our late husband, wife or
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civil partner paid National
Insurance Contributions
(NICs), or they died as
a result of an industrial
accident or disease.
If you are finding it difficult to pay for a funeral that you have to arrange,
you may be able to get a social fund funeral payment from the Benefits
Agency, so long as you or your partner receive one of the following:
• income support
• housing benefit
• council tax benefit
• job seeker’s allowance (income based)
• disabled person’s tax credit
• working family’s tax credit.
Contact your local social security office for more information.
If no one is able or willing to arrange and pay for the funeral, we, as your
local council, or, in some cases, the health authority, may be able to help,
but only where the funeral has not already been arranged.
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ADVICE AND HELPLINE: 0845 129 5900