17 Jul 2019
NAFD welcomes changes to Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payment
The National Association of Funeral Directors has warmly welcomed an important first step to the much-needed overhaul of the government’s Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payment after Department for Work and Pensions minister Will Quince MP announced today (17 July 2019) that, in future, Funeral Expenses Payment claims will be able to be processed with an estimated funeral date, providing that other key information is supplied. The ability to use an estimated date in a claim is set to significantly speed up the process and payment.
The move follows a series of opportunities to present evidence, to the Department for Work and Pensions Minister Will Quince and the Select Committee for Work and Pensions, during which it felt for the first time, in over a decade of campaigning, that the devastating human impact of the Social Fund’s outdated mechanisms was recognised by the government and there was a willingness to rethink the process in response.
Chief Executive of the National Association of Funeral Directors, Jon Levett, said: “This is an extremely positive first step to ensuring that the Funeral Expenses Payment works well for those people on the lowest incomes who really need it.
“All too often our members find themselves helping families who are caught between needing a Funeral Expenses Payment to be able to confidently sign a contract to secure a funeral date, but unable to claim a Funeral Expenses Payment without being able to provide a confirmed date for the funeral.
“In recent months we have noted and been encouraged by the willingness of Will Quince, members of the Work and Pensions Select Committee and civil servants alike to rethink how the Funeral Expenses Payment works – and hope this is the start of the long overdue and much needed wider overhaul of this vital benefit – which supports some of the most vulnerable people in the UK.”
Announcing the move, Department for Work and Pensions Minister Will Quince said: “These important changes will make the very difficult time of planning a funeral or cremation that bit easier for bereaved families. Helping families access Funeral Expenses Payments sooner and more quickly means they can focus on the much more important task of arranging a proper send-off for their loved one.”
This new move to speed up the Funeral Expenses Payment process comes after another recent change in the evidence required to process a claim. Recent improvements mean that instead of a final invoice – which is usually received after the funeral – families can instead supply a funeral director contract as an indication of funeral cost. This evidence can be submitted to the Bereavement Support team in advance of a funeral, therefore ensuring earlier access to financial support.
Read the government’s announcement here.