Eligibility · Funeral Expenses Payment
Am I eligible for Funeral Expenses Payment?
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In short. You can usually claim if you or your partner get a qualifying benefit such as Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or income-related Employment and Support Allowance, you are arranging the funeral, and you apply within six months. Scotland uses Funeral Support Payment instead.
The grant does not usually cover the whole funeral. Confirm live rules on GOV.UK. This is not an application form.
Last reviewed:
·Amount: Specified burial or cremation fees plus up to £1,000 other funeral expenses, or up to £120 if there was a prepaid funeral plan — minus money available from the estateYou likely qualify if…
- You or your partner get a qualifying benefit, or a decision is still pending
- You are the partner of the person who died, or the parent of a stillborn baby after 24 weeks, or the parent or person responsible for a child who died
- In some cases a close relative or friend, if there is no partner who can claim
- The funeral is in the UK, the EEA or Switzerland
You likely don't if…
- You live in Scotland — claim Funeral Support Payment from Social Security Scotland
- Nobody in the household gets a qualifying benefit and you are not waiting on a claim
- A close relative who is in work and not on a qualifying benefit is treated as able to pay instead
How to check and claim
- 01Read gov.uk/funeral-payments/eligibility
- 02Call 0800 151 2012 or download form SF200
- 03If you live in Scotland, use mygov.scot Funeral Support Payment instead
FAQ
- Does New Style ESA count?
- The GOV.UK list is Universal Credit, income-related ESA, Pension Credit and Housing Benefit. Contribution-based New Style ESA alone is not the old income-related ESA. Check the live list before you claim.
- How long do I have?
- Six months from the funeral, even if you are still waiting for a qualifying-benefit decision.