How to Obtain Funding for a Funeral
Arranging a funeral can mean having to fork out some hefty sums and that could leave you out of pocket for other essential expenditure. Finding money for the funeral of a loved one at a time when you are experiencing grief can be stressful, to say the least. If you cannot afford some or all of the funeral expenses that you will incur, then help is at hand, however. What are the main ways that people get funding for funerals in the UK today?
Government Support
The UK government recognises that funerals are hard to pay for if you have a limited income. Therefore, a Funeral Expenses Payment – known as a Funeral Support Payment in Scotland – can be applied for which will result in a grant of up to about £1,000 being paid directly to you or the funeral directors if you have not already paid them. This sum can be much lower depending on the costs of the funeral, including travel expenses, and your personal financial circumstances. Generally speaking, you’ll need to be claiming a benefit such as Universal Credit, Pension Credit or Child Tax Credit to get this sort of support. Not just anyone can claim, either. You’ll need to prove you are the deceased’s partner, a close friend or relative to be able to secure a payment.
Local Authority Support
In Great Britain, local authorities are supposed to waive their cremation and standard burial fees if the deceased is a child. This means anyone who passed away under the age of 18 including stillborn babies and foetal remains. English local authority areas should also provide £300 in such circumstances to go towards a coffin, a shroud or a casket. Other expenses to do with children’s funerals, such as flowers and limousine hire, are not covered, however. In circumstances where there is no family left surviving who can pay for a funeral of a deceased adult, the local authority in question should provide what is called a public health funeral at no charge. This will usually be a simple cremation at a time of their choosing.
Pre-Paid Funeral Plans and Insurance
If the deceased took matters into their own hands while they were alive, then they may have pre-paid for their funeral or taken out funeral insurance. This means that the funding needed for all the funeral expenses should be in place. Usually, the deceased will have notified you of their pre-paid plan in advance so you know where to turn to. Otherwise, check their papers. All you should need to do is to produce their death certificate to the administrators of the plan for the funds to be released to you. The same goes for funeral insurance. Usually, funeral insurance will pay out a lump sum. Depending on the policy, this may, or may not, cover all of the funeral expenses. For this reason, pre-payment funeral plans tend to be the better option, a good thing to know if you are thinking about what will happen to you once you have passed on.