Funeral_Payment_and

PAYMENT OF FUNERAL ACCOUNT

The funeral account is usually posted shortly (about a week) after the day of the funeral unless otherwise advised.

Most Banks and Building Societies will pay the Funeral Account immediately from funds held in the name of the deceased on presentation of the Funeral Account and a copy of the Entry of Death.

Credit facilities are available for the purpose of paying for the funeral. Please ask if you would like any further information.

Funeral Payment can be made by Cheque, Cash, Debit or Credit cards

HELP WITH THE FUNERAL PAYMENT

If you're on a low income and need help to pay for a funeral you're arranging, you may be able to get a Funeral Payment from the Social Fund. You might have to repay some or all of it from the estate of the person who died.

Who is eligible?

You may be able to get a Funeral Payment but it depends on the benefits you're getting, your relationship with the person who died and any other money, other than your personal savings, that may be available to help with the cost of the funeral.

Benefits and tax credits

You may be eligible for a Funeral Payment from the Social Fund if you or your partner are getting any of the following benefits or tax credits:

· Income Support

· income-based Jobseeker's Allowance

· income-related Employment and Support Allowance

· Pension Credit

· Housing Benefit

· Council Tax Benefit (or the Council Tax payer where you live gets a Second Adult Rebate because you are on a low income)

· Working Tax Credit which includes a disability or severe disability element

· Child Tax Credit at a rate higher than the family element

The term 'partner' is used here to mean:

· a person you are married to, or person you live with as if you are married to them, or

· a civil partner, or person you live with as if you are civil partners

· Income Support

· Employment and Support Allowance (disabled people section)

· Council Tax Benefit

· Jobseeker's Allowance

· Pension Credit

Relationship with the person who has died

To be able to get a Funeral Payment you must also be either:

· the partner of the deceased when they died

· the parent of the deceased child, or have been responsible for the deceased child (and there is no absent parent) (unless they are getting one of the above qualifying benefits or were estranged from the child at the date of death)

· the parent of a still-born child

· a close relative or close friend of the deceased (and it is reasonable for you to accept responsibility for the funeral costs)

Other money available

When how much help you can get is worked out, how much money (other than your personal savings) is available to help you with the cost of the funeral will also be looked at.

This could include money available from the estate of the person who died, contributions received and money from, for example, insurance policies, but does not include the social security Bereavement Payment or money from certain government-funded trusts.

· Bereavement Payment

How much do you get?

A Funeral Payment includes necessary burial or cremation fees and up to £700 towards any other funeral expenses, such as the funeral director's fees.

There is no separate payment available towards Minister or Church fees.

You can get full details of what the Funeral Payment covers on pages six and seven of the claim form that you can download, below. (Download link below - read notes and print pages 15 to 36)

· Download Funeral Payment claim form (PDF document 122K) Opens new window

· Help with PDF files

How it's paid

If the funeral director’s bill has not already been paid a cheque may be sent to you made out to the funeral director for you to give to them.

How to claim

You can ask for a claim form by contacting Jobcentre Plus.

· Contact Jobcentre Plus Opens new window

Or you can download the form, below, from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) website. The form comes with notes to help you fill it in and tell you where to send the completed form.

· Download the Funeral Payment claim form (PDF document 122K) Opens new window

· Help with PDF files

When to claim

You must claim a Funeral Payment from the date of death and up to three months after the date of the funeral.

If you are waiting for a decision on a qualifying benefit or entitlement you must still claim within the time limits above.

You can make a claim before the funeral takes place if the funeral director is willing to produce an itemised invoice as evidence of a contract. An estimate is not acceptable.

Repayment of the Funeral Payment

If you get a Funeral Payment, it will have to be paid back from any estate of the person who died. The estate means any money, property and other things that the deceased person owned. A house or personal things that are left to a widow, widower or surviving civil partner will not be counted as part of the estate.

Disputes and appeals

If you want to know more about the decision or you think it is wrong please contact Jobcentre Plus within one month of the date of the decision letter. If you contact Jobcentre Plus later they may not be able to help you.

You, or someone else who has the authority to act on your behalf, can:

· ask for an explanation

· ask for a written statement of reasons for the decision

· ask Jobcentre Plus to look again at the decision to see if it can be changed. There may be some facts you think they have overlooked or you may have more information which affects the decision

· appeal against the decision to an independent tribunal. This must be in writing.

You can do any of the actions listed above, or you can do all of them.

· How to appeal against a benefits decision

More useful links

· Bereavement benefits

· Arranging a funeral (rights and responsibilities section)

· What happens to debts when someone dies?

· Inheritance tax, estates and trusts

· Making a will (rights and responsibilities section)

· Crisis Loans

Funeral Payment can be made by Debit or Credit cards

APPLYING FOR PROBATE

A Grant of Representation may or may not be required when a person dies leaving money or other property.

You may wish to ask anyone holding the deceased's money whether they will release it to you without seeing a grant.

A grant is not usually necessary if the amount held by certain organisations is small.

In this case a copy of the Entry of Death (from the registrars) is usually required.

Please ask if you would like further information or advice on applying for Probate.

		PAYMENT OF FUNERAL ACCOUNT The funeral account is usually posted shortly (about a week) after the day of the funeral unless otherwise advised. Most Banks and Building Societies will pay the Funeral Account immediately from funds held in the name of the deceased on presentation of the Funeral Account and a copy of the Entry of Death. Credit facilities are available for the purpose of paying for the funeral. Please ask if you would like any further information. *Funeral Payment can be made by Cheque, Cash, Debit or Credit cards* HELP WITH THE FUNERAL PAYMENT If you're on a low income and need help to pay for a funeral you're arranging, you may be able to get a Funeral Payment from the Social Fund. You might have to repay some or all of it from the estate of the person who died. Who is eligible? You may be able to get a Funeral Payment but it depends on the benefits you're getting, your relationship with the person who died and any other money, other than your personal savings, that may be available to help with the cost of the funeral. Benefits and tax credits You may be eligible for a Funeral Payment from the Social Fund if you or your partner are getting any of the following benefits or tax credits: · Income Support · income-based Jobseeker's Allowance · income-related Employment and Support Allowance · Pension Credit · Housing Benefit · Council Tax Benefit (or the Council Tax payer where you live gets a Second Adult Rebate because you are on a low income) · Working Tax Credit which includes a disability or severe disability element · Child Tax Credit at a rate higher than the family element *The term 'partner' is used here to mean:* · a person you are married to, or person you live with as if you are married to them, or · a civil partner, or person you live with as if you are civil partners · Income Support · Employment and Support Allowance (disabled people section) · Council Tax Benefit · Jobseeker's Allowance · Pension Credit Relationship with the person who has died To be able to get a Funeral Payment you must also be either: · the partner of the deceased when they died · the parent of the deceased child, or have been responsible for the deceased child (and there is no absent parent) (unless they are getting one of the above qualifying benefits or were estranged from the child at the date of death) · the parent of a still-born child · a close relative or close friend of the deceased (and it is reasonable for you to accept responsibility for the funeral costs) Other money available When how much help you can get is worked out, how much money (other than your personal savings) is available to help you with the cost of the funeral will also be looked at. This could include money available from the estate of the person who died, contributions received and money from, for example, insurance policies, but does not include the social security Bereavement Payment or money from certain government-funded trusts. · Bereavement Payment How much do you get? A Funeral Payment includes necessary burial or cremation fees and up to £700 towards any other funeral expenses, such as the funeral director's fees. There is no separate payment available towards Minister or Church fees. You can get full details of what the Funeral Payment covers on pages six and seven of the claim form that you can download, below. (Download link below - read notes and print pages 15 to 36) · Download Funeral Payment claim form (PDF document 122K) Opens new window · Help with PDF files How it's paid If the funeral director’s bill has not already been paid a cheque may be sent to you made out to the funeral director for you to give to them. How to claim You can ask for a claim form by contacting Jobcentre Plus. · Contact Jobcentre Plus Opens new window Or you can download the form, below, from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) website. The form comes with notes to help you fill it in and tell you where to send the completed form. · Download the Funeral Payment claim form (PDF document 122K) Opens new window · Help with PDF files When to claim You must claim a Funeral Payment from the date of death and up to three months after the date of the funeral. If you are waiting for a decision on a qualifying benefit or entitlement you must still claim within the time limits above. You can make a claim before the funeral takes place if the funeral director is willing to produce an itemised invoice as evidence of a contract. An estimate is not acceptable. Repayment of the Funeral Payment If you get a Funeral Payment, it will have to be paid back from any estate of the person who died. The estate means any money, property and other things that the deceased person owned. A house or personal things that are left to a widow, widower or surviving civil partner will not be counted as part of the estate. Disputes and appeals If you want to know more about the decision or you think it is wrong please contact Jobcentre Plus within one month of the date of the decision letter. If you contact Jobcentre Plus later they may not be able to help you. You, or someone else who has the authority to act on your behalf, can: · ask for an explanation · ask for a written statement of reasons for the decision · ask Jobcentre Plus to look again at the decision to see if it can be changed. There may be some facts you think they have overlooked or you may have more information which affects the decision · appeal against the decision to an independent tribunal. This must be in writing. You can do any of the actions listed above, or you can do all of them. · How to appeal against a benefits decision More useful links · Bereavement benefits · Arranging a funeral (rights and responsibilities section) · What happens to debts when someone dies? · Inheritance tax, estates and trusts · Making a will (rights and responsibilities section) · Crisis Loans *Funeral Payment can be made by Debit or Credit cards* APPLYING FOR PROBATE A Grant of Representation may or may not be required when a person dies leaving money or other property. You may wish to ask anyone holding the deceased's money whether they will release it to you without seeing a grant. A grant is not usually necessary if the amount held by certain organisations is small. In this case a copy of the Entry of Death (from the registrars) is usually required. Please ask if you would like further information or advice on applying for Probate.