People living in Scotland may not be aware of a Scottish Government scheme which helps provide financial support worth an average of £1,810 towards the costs of a loved one's funeral. The Funeral Support Payment can be used to help pay for the burial or cremation of a baby, child or adult in Scotland, and also includes babies who were stillborn.
The latest figures from Social Security Scotland show that since the scheme launched in September 2019, some 21,375 applications have been received. More than £25.5 million has been issued since 2019 to those eligible for financial support, with an average payment of £1,810.
Social Security Scotland aims to make a decision on claims for the support within 10 days of receiving all the evidence they need. However, it also said that this can take their specially trained team slightly longer when demand is higher.
You can apply for the payment up until six months after the date of the funeral, but if you could not make a claim for the Funeral Support Payment due to the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Social Security Scotland will still accept your application.
If you've received a backdated qualifying benefit you may also have longer to apply - call Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222 for more information.
Below are all the details on the scheme including eligibility and how to apply.
Who can apply for a Funeral Support Payment?
You can claim for a Funeral Support Payment if all of the following apply:
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 or in some circumstances in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland
you are applying after the person has died, until six months after the date of their funeral
you or your partner are responsible for the funeral
it is reasonable for you or your partner to accept responsibility for the funeral costs
Guidance on mygov.scot states: "Usually, it is reasonable for the nearest relative of the person who died to accept responsibility for the funeral costs.
"A nearest relative could be a partner, child, parent or sibling. If you or your partner are not the nearest relative, you'll need to explain to us [Social Security Scotland] when you apply, why it's reasonable to have accepted responsibility."
Benefits and Tax Credits you or your partner must receive to qualify
You or your partner must get one or more of the following:
Child Tax Credit
Universal Credit
Income Support
Pension Credit
Working Tax Credit (disability or severe disability element)
Housing Benefit
Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA), not contribution-based JSA
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), not contribution-based ESA
The guidance adds: "If you or your partner are waiting to hear about your application for one of these benefits, you can still apply for Funeral Support Payment. However, we'll only be able to let you know if you're able to get Funeral Support Payment once we know the outcome of your other benefit applications."
How to apply
Before applying for Funeral Support Payment, you should:
register the death of the person who died
check that you're eligible for Funeral Support Payment
consider giving your funeral director consent to speak with Social Security Scotland about your application
To complete this form, you will need:
your National Insurance number
details of the funeral director
any travel receipts or funeral bills you have so far
your bank account details, if you'd like Social Security Scotland to pay you and not your funeral director
To find out more, or to apply online, visit the dedicated section on mygov.scot website here or call Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222.
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