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Written question asked by Ayoub Khan (Independent (affiliation)) on Friday, 29 August 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 2 September 2025. It was answered by Torsten Bell (Labour) on Friday, 5 September 2025 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Funeral Payments

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 1 July 2025 to Question 62414 on Funeral Payments, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of assessing the (a) ability and (b) willingness of other family members to take responsibility for a funeral within the Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payment.

Answer

The long standing state position is that individuals should look to make financial provision for their own funeral, and that where this has not happened family or friends who can take part or all of the responsibility for the cost of funeral arrangements should do so.

Where responsibility for organising a funeral falls to those on qualifying benefits a Funeral Expenses Payment may be available, but eligibility criteria are designed to ensure the scheme is fair for taxpayers while supporting the most vulnerable with these costs.

We continue to keep the Funeral Expenses Payment scheme under review to ensure it remains effective and sustainable within current budgetary constraints. This includes the eligibility criteria, application process, customer experience and administrative costs.

We have not made a specific assessment of the impact of Funeral Expenses Payment eligibility criteria on the finances of local authorities.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
72451
Session
2024-26
Related items
Funeral Payments
Tuesday, 1 July 2025
Written questions
House of Commons
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Families Eligibility Social Fund Next of kin Funeral payments
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk