Help with funeral expenses

This page covers questions you may have about getting help with paying for a funeral and how to apply for financial support.

What do funeral expenses cover?

Funeral expenses cover the various costs associated with arranging a funeral. These can include services such as transportation, preparation of the body, burial or cremation, and associated fees like cemetery costs, headstones, and funeral director services.

Can I get financial support for organising a funeral?

There are a few options to help you if you are struggling to pay for a funeral.

Financial support schemes

The following schemes may help residents with the financial costs following the death of a loved one. These schemes are available for those on a low income and who are receiving certain benefits.

Funerals paid for by the council

The council will arrange what is known as a ‘public health funeral’ if there are no relatives or friends available to arrange the funeral. This type of funeral will usually be a cremation.

Read more about public health funerals.

What is a Bereavement Support Payment?

You may be able to get Bereavement Support Payment if your partner has died.

The amount you can get will depend on:

  • your relationship to the person who died
  • when you make your claim
  • when you reach State Pension age.

You normally need to make a claim within 21 months of your partner’s death.

How to apply

You can apply for Bereavement Support Payment online, by telephone or by post. To apply, you’ll need:

  • your National Insurance number
  • your bank or building society account details
  • the date your partner died
  • your partner’s National Insurance number.

Apply for a Bereavement Support Payment: How to claim - GOV.UK

What additional support is available?

Having to pay for a funeral can be difficult at any time, and the costs can be particularly overwhelming when money is tight. There are several organisations that can help, and funds that you can apply for:

The Children's Funeral Fund for England

The Children's Funeral Fund for England can help to pay for some of the costs of a funeral for a child under 18:

Support for child funeral costs on GOV.UK

Quaker Social Action

Quaker Social Action can provided 1 to 1 support, to help you with funeral options and costs:

Down to earth - practical support for funeral costs on the Quaker Social Action website

Armed Forces community support

For help with funeral costs for a member of the Armed Forces community:

Help with funeral costs on Royal British Legion website

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A Funeral Expenses Payment is a government scheme for people who are on a low income and receiving certain benefits to help them pay for a funeral.

The scheme can help pay for costs such as:

  • burial fees for a particular plot
  • 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
  • death certificates or other documents
  • claims up to £1,000 for any other funeral expenses, such as funeral director’s fees, flowers or the coffin.

The GOV.UK website provides advice on getting support for funeral expenses and payments:

Get help with funeral costs: How it works - GOV.UK

How to apply

By phone

The easiest way to apply for a Funeral Expenses Payment is by phone.

Contact the Bereavement Service helpline to claim by phone. An adviser will also help you claim any other bereavement benefits you might be entitled to:

By post

You can also claim by post by completing a form Funeral Expenses Payment claim form - GOV.UK.

Send the form and any documents to: Freepost DWP Funeral Payments. You do not need to use a postcode or a stamp.

Alternatively, you can also take the form and any documents to your nearest jobcentre if you need help completing it, or you can ask a relative or friend.

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