Caseworker Support Guidance
Please refer to the Core AP’s Grants Matrix which gives guidance from each main Assistance Provider (APs) on their individual financial and grants limits policy and documentation requirements when almonising in this area.
Mosaic: create a Person Summary for the next of kin requesting support even if they are a non-eligible person for SSAFA support (e.g. in the name of the non-eligible son who has the death certificate and is organising the funeral for his deceased Mother who is the eligible person).
- Create a Person Summary for the eligible deceased person using ‘no fixed abode’ for the address
- add an address, put ‘ZZ’ in the postcode, click ‘Find Address’ and choose ‘No Fixed Abode’.
- Mark the person as deceased by using ‘Person Details’ and ‘Date of Death’.
- Attach the Verification of Service and create a ‘Personal Relationship’ link with the next of kin non-eligible client.
Website https://www.gov.uk/bereavement-support-payment
Welsh https://www.gov.uk/taliad-cymorth-profedigaeth
Easy Read Format https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/easy-read-bereavement-support-payment
You may be able to get Bereavement Support Payment if your partner has died. It has replaced the following benefits:
- Widowed Parent's Allowance - if you already get this, your payments will continue until you are no longer eligible.
- Bereavement Allowance (previously Widow's Pension)
- Bereavement Payment
Eligibility
Bereavement Support Payment is not means-tested. This means what you earn or how much you have in savings will not affect what you get.
When your partner died, you must have been:
- under State Pension age
- living in the UK or a country that pays bereavement benefits
- married to your partner, in a civil partnership with them, or living with them as if you were married
Your partner must have either:
- paid a certain amount of Class 1 or Class 2 National Insurance contributions in any tax year since 6 April 1975
- died because of an accident at work or a disease caused by work
Website https://www.gov.uk/child-funeral-costs
The Children’s Funeral Fund for England can help to pay for some of the costs of a funeral for a child under 18 or a baby stillborn after the 24th week of pregnancy.
It is not means-tested: what you earn or how much you have in savings will not affect what you get.
The burial or cremation must take place in England.
What the fund covers
The Children’s Funeral Fund for England can help pay for the:
- Burial fees
- Cremation fees, including the cost of a doctor's certificate
- Coffin, shroud or casket (up to a cost of £300)
Website https://www.gov.uk/funeral-payments
Website - Welsh https://www.gov.uk/taliadau-angladd
This is a means tested benefit available in England and Wales which you can apply for if all of the following apply:
- You get certain benefits or tax credits.
- You meet the rules on your relationship with the deceased.
- You’re arranging a funeral in the UK, the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.
You must apply within 6 months of the funeral, even if you’re waiting for a decision on a qualifying benefit. You can make a claim before the funeral, if you’ve got an invoice or signed contract from the funeral director. It cannot be an estimate.
Website https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/funeral-expenses-payments
If you're on a low income and need help to pay for a funeral you're arranging, you may be able to get a Funeral Expenses Payment from the Social Fund. You might have to repay some or all of it from the deceased person’s estate.
To get a Funeral Expenses Payment you must be responsible for the funeral and:
- get certain benefits or tax credits
- meet the rules on your relationship to the deceased
- claim in time
- meet the rules on where the funeral takes place
Website https://www.mygov.scot/funeral-support-payment
Funeral Support Payment helps pay for funeral costs if you live in Scotland. You can use the payment towards funeral costs for a baby, child or adult. This includes babies who were stillborn.
It usually will not cover the full cost of the funeral but it should help pay for some costs. It can be paid either to you or the funeral director who's helping you plan the funeral.
Only one person can get Funeral Support Payment for the funeral.
You will not be eligible if you've already had other government support for the funeral, this includes:
- Funeral Expenses Payment (England or Wales)
- Funeral Payment (Northern Ireland)
- Your hospital arranging and paying for your baby's funeral if you had a stillbirth and you did not have to pay any costs.
Website https://www.gov.uk/guardians-allowance
Welsh https://www.gov.uk/lwfans-gwarcheidwad
You could get Guardian’s Allowance if you’re bringing up a child whose parents have died. You may also be eligible if there’s one surviving parent.
Please check the website for the current payment amount, you can get it on top of Child Benefit and it's tax-free.
You must tell the Guardian's Allowance Unit about certain changes to your circumstance.
Public health funerals are for people who have died and have no next of kin or have family who are unable or unwilling to pay for a funeral.
For example, someone might have a public health funeral if:
- They lived alone and had no family or didn’t leave any money to organise their funeral.
- Their family can’t pay for the funeral.
- They were estranged from their family and their family don’t want to be part of the funeral arrangements.
In these cases, local councils must provide public health funerals under section 46 of the Public Health Act 1984. This is to protect the public’s health and make sure that all people are treated with respect whatever their circumstances.
Each local authority has its own policy on what is and isn’t included. So, if you approach your local authority make sure you check what their public health funeral policy is like.