Bereavement Payments

[bigdude200]

Hi, I was just wondering if anybody can help me on this subject....it is about a friend of mine whom she just lost her husband and is only getting the old age pension and no other benefits, would she qualify for any help with funeral costs and any other payments she qualifys for. Thank you in advance your help will be much appreciated.

[gness]

Hi, Bigdude....been a long time now but when MrG died I received £2000 towards his funeral. Not means tested.

The best advice I got was from JobCentre Plus.....I went in to collect a Bereavement Pack and the people there were extremely helpful...I would advise your friend to do that.....x

[aelmpvw]

she may qualify for pension credit depending on her circumstances

[EDDIE51]

Funeral payment information here
https://www.gov.uk/funeral-payments/overview
If there was only state pension your friend will qualify for a funeral grant.
You have to ask for it though , they will not just pay it automatically.
Further more, all undertakers MUST BY LAW ! provide a simple basic but dignified funeral for the cost of the grant ! But they really HATE you knowing that and will try all sorts of tricks/ deception /bluff to try to get more money out of you.

[EDDIE51]

More on what you can get for a government funeral grant here
https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Funeral-Payment/How-much-Funeral-Payment-will-I-get#guide-content
As I said ALL funeral directors must provide a funeral for the cost of the grant, but you have to INSIST ! that no other cash is available as they will try anything to get more money. A friend of mine got the cost of her Dads funeral down from £3300 to £990 just by going to and fro between 3 funeral directors asking to them to beat the cheapest quotes. It really unnerves them if customers do that.

[hc4361]

For the £2000 bereavement payment you must be under state pension age when your spouse died:
https://www.gov.uk/bereavement-payment

[EDDIE51]

^^ The bereavement payment is entirely different from a funeral grant.
Many people will get both.
Eligibility for funeral grant is here
https://www.gov.uk/funeral-payments/eligibility
A funeral grant does not depend on the age of the deceased or their relatives only on having a low income.

[Peter Pedant]

There used to be a death grant for everyone which we collected on the death of my father in 1972 ! oops

now it is replaced by a discretionary grant - which actually it sounds as tho she might qualify for

she has to apply - citizens advice is always very helpful
ubasses who was one ( yeah a whole citixens advice bureau all by herself ) may see this and advise

Two grand is a bigger figure to ones I am used to seeing bandied around

[Peter Pedant]

O and the means test is on the person applying in this case the widow

I buried an insolvent neighbour and coughed up all myself er because I am currently no where near insolvent, indigent ( but please believe I am short of money )

[hc4361]

Yes, Eddie, I was responding to gness's post at 11:36. As bigdude's friend is getting state pension she obviously doesn't qualify for that.

[TonyV]

Firstly accept my condolences if you were friends with her husband aswell.
Looking at goverment goverment site seems to be conflicting information think best advice is to visit Jobcentre+ or CAB as others have said. Does she have any children or a close friend that can go with her? Citizens Advice always seem to take a long time to get get an appointment in my experience but should make exception in these circumstances. Maybe social services could help. But I guess whoever she sees will need to take copy of death certificate, bank statements, a will if one exists, proof of earnings. This list is of the top of my head others may be able to add as I'm sure there will be other documents needed and it's getting late.
She may even qualify for other benefits now she is on her own.
Do you now her postcode?

[EDDIE51]

The official government web site that I gave the link to actually tells you to apply to your local job centre for help with applying for a funeral grant.

[gness]

I appreciate that, Hc......but there was a great deal of help available that I knew nothing about until I went to Job Centre Plus....I had no idea they helped with things like bereavement....and worth a visit...x

[hc4361]

This is the form your friend needs to complete to apply for the funeral grant, there is no need for her to go anywhere unless she has problems completing the form. If that is the case, then the Job Centre is the place to go:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/363675/sf200_print.pdf

[hc4361]

This is the form for pension credit.

http://www.nhs.uk/CarersDirect/moneyandlegal/otherbenefits/Documents/pension-credit-claim-form.pdf

If she is eligible for that it will help her with her claim for the funeral grant.