Funeral Expenses Payment UK 2025
If you are on certain benefits and responsible for arranging a funeral, DWP’s Funeral Expenses Payment (Social Fund) can help cover burial or cremation fees and up to £1,000 of other funeral costs.
Contents
What Is the Funeral Expenses Payment?
The Funeral Expenses Payment (also called the Social Fund Funeral Payment) is a DWP grant available to people on low incomes who are responsible for arranging a funeral. It is designed to help with the essential costs of a burial or cremation when the person responsible cannot afford them.
The payment does not cover the full cost of a typical UK funeral. The average funeral in the UK in 2024 cost around £4,200 (burial) or £3,100 (cremation) according to SunLife data. The Funeral Expenses Payment typically covers only a portion of this, with the remainder needing to come from other sources.
How Much Can You Get?
The Funeral Expenses Payment covers the following specific costs:
- Burial fee (the full cost of a burial plot at a local cemetery)
- Cremation fee (the full cremation fee, including any doctor’s fee for signing cremation forms)
- Up to £1,000 for other funeral expenses (funeral director’s fees, coffin, flowers, hearse, order of service)
- Cost of moving the body within the UK if it must be transported more than 50 miles
- Travel expenses for the claimant to attend the funeral
- Death certificate fees and other necessary documentation
- Headstones or memorial plaques
- Catering for a wake or reception
- Cost of a funeral overseas (beyond the UK equivalent)
- Embalming (unless required by the funeral director)
- Any optional extras chosen for the funeral
- Costs above the £1,000 ‘other expenses’ limit
Qualifying Benefits
To be eligible for the Funeral Expenses Payment, you or your partner must be receiving at least one of the following benefits at the time of the claim (not at the time of the death):
| Qualifying Benefit | Notes |
|---|---|
| Universal Credit | Any award qualifies |
| Pension Credit | Guarantee Credit element or Savings Credit |
| Income Support | Legacy benefit; still in payment for some claimants |
| Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) | Income-based only, not contribution-based |
| Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) | Income-related only, not contributory |
| Housing Benefit | Any award qualifies |
| Child Tax Credit | Qualifies if you are not also receiving Working Tax Credit, OR if receiving both and in receipt of the disability or severe disability element of WTC |
| Working Tax Credit | Must include the disability or severe disability element to qualify on its own |
Relationship Requirement
You must have a qualifying relationship with the person who died. DWP considers the following relationships:
- Partner: Spouse, civil partner, or a person you lived with as a couple
- Close relative: Parent, son, daughter, brother, sister, stepparent, stepchild, step-sibling
- Close friend: If there is no close relative, a close friend who accepts responsibility for the funeral may qualify
An important rule is that if there is a close relative of the deceased who is not on qualifying benefits and could reasonably be expected to pay for the funeral, DWP may refuse the claim. For example, if the deceased’s adult child is not receiving Universal Credit or other qualifying benefits and could afford the funeral, the claim of a more distant relative who is on benefits may be refused.
How to Claim (Form SF200)
You have 6 months from the date of the funeral to claim. You can claim before the funeral takes place if you need the money upfront to pay the funeral director.
How to apply:
- Online: At gov.uk/funeral-payments. This is the fastest method.
- By phone: Call the DWP Bereavement Service on 0800 151 2012 (Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm).
- By post: Complete form SF200, available from Jobcentre Plus offices or by calling DWP. Post it to the address on the form.
You will need:
- Your National Insurance number
- The deceased’s full name, date of birth and date of death
- The deceased’s National Insurance number (if known)
- The death certificate or coroner’s interim certificate
- Receipts or invoices from the funeral director for costs incurred
- Your bank account details for payment
- Details of any pre-paid funeral plan or life insurance held by the deceased
- Information about the deceased’s estate (savings, property, assets)
Effect of the Estate
DWP will reduce the Funeral Expenses Payment by:
- The value of any savings or assets held by the deceased that can be used to pay for the funeral (amounts in bank accounts, investments, etc.)
- Any pre-paid funeral plan that covers some or all of the costs
- Any life insurance lump sum or pension death grant that can be used for funeral costs
- Any charitable or voluntary contributions towards the funeral
The deceased’s home (property) is not automatically included, but if the property is being sold and the sale proceeds are expected, DWP may take these into account. There are specific rules about when and how property is counted.
If the deceased’s estate has no accessible assets (no savings, no insurance, no property proceeds), DWP will pay the full eligible amount.
Will You Have to Pay It Back?
Funeral Expenses Payment is recoverable from the deceased’s estate. If money becomes available in the estate after the payment has been made (for example, from the sale of property or release of a frozen bank account), DWP can legally reclaim the amount it paid from those funds.
This is different from a personal debt — you (the claimant) are not personally liable to repay the money. The recovery is from the estate assets only. If the estate has already been distributed with no recovery by DWP, the situation is more complex and you should seek legal advice.
Funeral Poverty in the UK
Funeral poverty is a growing concern in the UK. Key statistics:
- The average cost of a UK funeral rose by over 90% in the decade to 2024 (SunLife Cost of Dying report)
- Around 100,000 people every year face difficulties affording a funeral for a loved one
- Only around 30% of eligible claimants actually claim Funeral Expenses Payment, according to DWP estimates
- The average Funeral Expenses Payment of around £1,500 covers less than 40% of the average UK funeral cost
- Some councils offer ‘public health funerals’ (formerly called pauper’s funerals) for those who genuinely cannot afford burial or cremation
How to Find a More Affordable Funeral
If the Funeral Expenses Payment does not cover all your costs, consider these options:
- Direct cremation: A no-frills cremation service without a ceremony can cost as little as £1,000–£1,500. No hearse, no chapel. Several national providers offer this service.
- Compare funeral directors: Prices vary enormously between funeral directors. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) now requires funeral directors to display their prices online.
- Simple burial options: Natural burials in a woodland or meadow can be significantly cheaper than traditional cemetery burials and are often available for £1,500–£2,500 all-in.
- Council public health funerals: If you are unable to arrange or pay for a funeral at all, your local council has a legal duty to arrange a simple funeral at public expense. Contact the council’s Environmental Health department.
- Funeral directors’ payment plans: Many funeral directors will allow deferred payment pending release of estate funds, particularly if a solicitor is involved.
- Charities: Some charities provide burial assistance. The National Association of Funeral Directors can provide signposting.
- Pre-paid funeral plans: For your own future planning, a regulated pre-paid funeral plan (FCA-regulated since 2022) locks in today’s costs for your own funeral.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Funeral Expenses Payment in 2025?
The payment covers the full burial or cremation fee, plus up to £1,000 for other funeral costs (coffin, funeral director, flowers), travel costs for the claimant, and documentation fees. The average payment is around £1,500, but it varies. Amounts from the deceased’s estate, insurance, or pre-paid plans are deducted.
Which benefits qualify you for Funeral Expenses Payment?
You (or your partner) must be receiving Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based JSA, income-related ESA, Housing Benefit, Child Tax Credit (without Working Tax Credit, or with a disability element in WTC). At least one qualifying benefit must be in payment when you make the claim.
How long do I have to claim?
You must claim within 6 months of the funeral date. Claims cannot be accepted after this deadline. You can claim before the funeral if needed. Apply online at gov.uk/funeral-payments, by phone on 0800 151 2012, or by completing form SF200 and posting it to DWP.
Does the deceased’s estate affect the payment?
Yes. DWP reduces the payment by any assets held by the deceased (savings, investments, insurance payouts, pre-paid funeral plans) that can be used for the funeral. If the estate has no accessible assets, the full eligible amount is paid. DWP can later reclaim the payment from estate proceeds if they become available.
Will I personally have to pay it back?
No. You are not personally liable to repay the Funeral Expenses Payment. DWP recovers the money from the deceased’s estate (their assets) if funds become available. If the estate has nothing, DWP cannot reclaim anything. The debt does not follow the claimant personally.
Can I get help if I cannot afford any funeral at all?
Yes. If you genuinely cannot arrange or fund a funeral, your local council has a legal duty to arrange a ‘public health funeral’ (a simple cremation or burial at public expense). Contact the council’s Environmental Health or Bereavement Services department. This is a last resort but ensures no one is without a funeral due to inability to pay.
Can I claim Funeral Expenses Payment for a burial abroad?
Limited help is available for overseas funerals, but only up to the amount an equivalent UK funeral would cost. Full overseas costs are not covered. The cost of transporting the body abroad (above what a UK burial would cost) is not funded. If the deceased lived abroad, different rules may apply and you should contact DWP directly.