A group walk away from a funeral, dressed in black.

Applying for Funeral Support Payment

When a loved one dies, the world can suddenly feel dizzying, confusing and completely alien. It can be hard to know what’s expected of you, whilst at the same time wanting to make sure nothing is forgotten. Funeral expenses can often be a shock at this time.

For those on low incomes, funerals can be expensive. This is why, in September 2019, the Scottish Government brought in Funeral Support Payment. This is a one-off payment to help people on low-income benefits with a contribution towards the cost of a funeral.

What is Funeral Support Payment?

Funeral Support Payment can help people pay some of the expense of a funeral, including burial costs. It will not normally cover the entire cost of a funeral, and you won’t be eligible if you have had other government support for this funeral.

If all of the following apply, then you may be able to get funeral assistance:

  • You live in Scotland
  • You or your partner are getting certain benefits or tax credits
  • The person who died lived in the UK
  • The funeral is being held in the UK, EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland
  • You are applying after the person has died, until 6 months after the date of their funeral
  • You or your partner are responsible for the funeral

It replaces the Department for Work and Pension’s Funeral Expenses Payment in Scotland. This new scheme offers funeral support improvements over the older one, including:

  • A new ‘nearest relative’ eligibility test, along with a more sensitive assessment to determine who is responsible for the funeral cost payments.
  • This will widen eligibility for our payment by around 40%, to help reach an estimated 5,000 people each year.
  • Processing times for completed applications will be faster, once all the required evidence has been received.

How to apply for Funeral Support Payment

Applying for the payment is done online at the MyGov website. You can apply for it any time between the date of death, and six months afterwards. This means you could reclaim some money after the funeral has taken place.

It’s important to make sure that you have everything in place before you apply. You’ll need information including your National Insurance number. If you would like to go over the process for applying, please get in touch with us today to book an appointment. One of our advisors will be able to talk you through the process of helping cover funeral expenses at a pace that suits you.

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