DWP Claims & Funeral Expenses Payment

Help with funeral costs when you need it most

When someone dies, the financial side of arranging a funeral can feel overwhelming. If you are on a low income or receive certain benefits, you may be able to get help towards the cost of a funeral through the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Funeral Expenses Payment.

At C McGough & Sons Funeral Directors, we understand that families may be unsure about what support is available, whether they are eligible, or how the claim process works.
This page gives a simple overview of the DWP Funeral Expenses Payment, what it may help towards and how to make a claim.

What is a Funeral Expenses Payment?

A Funeral Expenses Payment, sometimes referred to as a Funeral Payment, is financial support available from the DWP for eligible people who need help paying for a funeral they are responsible for arranging.

It is designed to help towards funeral costs rather than necessarily covering the whole funeral bill. How much you receive will depend on your individual circumstances and whether there is other money available, such as money from the deceased person’s estate or an insurance policy. (GOV.UK)

Who may be eligible for help with funeral costs?

You may be able to receive a Funeral Expenses Payment if you meet the DWP’s eligibility rules.

Generally, you or your partner must receive a qualifying benefit, and you must also meet the rules regarding your relationship with the person who has died. (GOV.UK)

Qualifying benefits can include:

Universal Credit
Pension Credit
Housing Benefit
income-related Employment and Support Allowance

You may also qualify if you receive a Support for Mortgage Interest loan. In some circumstances, you can still make a claim if you have applied for a qualifying benefit and are waiting for a decision. (GOV.UK)

Eligibility also depends on your relationship with the person who has died. For example, you may be eligible if you were their partner, the parent or person responsible for an eligible child who has died, or in some circumstances a close relative or close friend. The DWP may also consider whether another close relative could reasonably be expected to pay for the funeral. (GOV.UK)

Because every family’s circumstances are different, the DWP makes the final decision about eligibility.

What if there is a prepaid funeral plan?

If the person who died had a prepaid funeral plan, this can affect the amount of support available.

Current government guidance states that where there is a prepaid funeral plan, a Funeral Expenses Payment may provide up to £120 towards items that are not covered by the plan. (GOV.UK)

If you are unsure what the plan includes, we can help you understand the funeral arrangements covered by it.

Does money in the deceased person's estate affect the claim?

It can.

If there is money available from the deceased person’s estate, the Funeral Expenses Payment may later be recovered from the estate. Government guidance explains that the estate can include money and property belonging to the person who died, although certain property left to a surviving spouse or civil partner is treated differently. (GOV.UK)

The DWP will consider your circumstances when assessing the claim.

When should I apply?

You must normally apply for a Funeral Expenses Payment within six months of the funeral. (GOV.UK)

You do not necessarily have to wait until after the funeral to make a claim.

You can apply before the funeral if you have either:

an invoice from the funeral director, or
a signed funeral contract.

An estimate alone is not sufficient for the DWP to process the claim. (GOV.UK)

If you are waiting for a decision about a qualifying benefit, you should still make your Funeral Expenses Payment claim within the six-month deadline. (GOV.UK)

How do I make a DWP funeral claim?

The easiest way to apply is usually by contacting the DWP Bereavement Service.

You can claim by telephone or complete the relevant SF200 Funeral Expenses Payment form and apply by post. The DWP also states that its Bereavement Service advisers can help check whether you may be entitled to other bereavement benefits. (GOV.UK)

DWP Bereavement Service
Telephone: 0800 151 2012
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. (GOV.UK)

If applying by post, the current Funeral Expenses Payment forms and guidance are available through GOV.UK.

How is the Funeral Expenses Payment paid?

If you have already paid for the funeral, an approved Funeral Expenses Payment will normally be paid into your bank, building society or credit union account.

If the funeral has not yet been paid for, the DWP can pay the money directly to the organisation arranging the funeral, such as the funeral director. (GOV.UK)

What if I am not eligible?

If you do not qualify for a Funeral Expenses Payment, there may still be other ways of meeting funeral costs.

A funeral can potentially be paid for through:

a prepaid funeral plan
an insurance policy
savings or money from the deceased person’s estate
contributions from family members or friends
other forms of financial support that may apply to your circumstances. (GOV.UK)

For the funeral of a child under 18, or a baby stillborn after the 24th week of pregnancy, the Children’s Funeral Fund for England can also help with certain costs. (GOV.UK)

Other bereavement support you may be entitled to

The Funeral Expenses Payment is separate from some other bereavement benefits.

For example, some people whose husband, wife, civil partner or qualifying cohabiting partner has died may also be entitled to Bereavement Support Payment.

Eligibility and the amount available depend on your circumstances, and claims usually need to be made within specific time limits. (GOV.UK)

The DWP Bereavement Service can help you understand whether there are other benefits you may be able to claim. (GOV.UK)

Help with DWP funeral claims in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire

If you are arranging a funeral in Stoke-on-Trent, Biddulph, Staffordshire or the surrounding areas and are concerned about funeral costs, please speak to us.

At C McGough & Sons Funeral Directors, we can explain our funeral costs clearly, provide the funeral documentation you may need for a DWP claim and help you understand the practical steps involved.

We cannot decide whether a Funeral Expenses Payment will be approved — that decision is made by the DWP — but we can help make the funeral-arrangement side of the process as streamlined as possible.