Funeral Expenses Payment: Who Qualifies, How Much You Get and How to Claim

The Funeral Expenses Payment is a government payment, run by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), that helps people on certain low-income benefits pay for a funeral in England and Wales. It pays burial and cremation fees in full, along with some other costs, and adds up to £1,000 towards the funeral director, coffin and flowers. You must claim within 6 months of the funeral.

It usually won't cover the whole bill. SunLife's 2026 Cost of Dying report puts the average simple attended funeral at £3,828 and direct cremation at £1,628, so most families still have to find some money themselves.

Who can get a Funeral Expenses Payment?

There are two tests. You must get a qualifying benefit, and you must have the right relationship to the person who died. GOV.UK sets out both.

Which benefits qualify?

You or your partner must get one or more of:

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

You might also be eligible if you get a Support for Mortgage Interest loan. GOV.UK says you can claim while you wait for a decision on one of these benefits. Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit are not on the current list.

What relationship do you need?

You can claim if you are:

• the partner of the person who died
• the parent of a baby stillborn after 24 weeks of pregnancy
• the parent or guardian of a child who died under 16 (or under 20 and in approved education)
• a close relative or close friend, if the person had no partner, or their partner or parent can't claim (for example, they live abroad or are in prison)

You must also be arranging the funeral, and the funeral must take place in the UK, the European Economic Area or Switzerland.

What does the payment cover and how much is it?

The payment has two parts. The first part is paid for the costs listed below.

If the person had a pre-paid funeral plan, the most you can get is £120 for items the plan doesn't cover.

GOV.UK says the amount you get depends on any other money available to cover the costs, such as an insurance policy or the person's estate. The payment is also deducted from anything you inherit from the estate, apart from a home or personal items left to a spouse or civil partner. If the person left nothing, there's nothing to recover.

The money goes to your bank account if you've already paid, or to the funeral director if you haven't yet.

How do you claim, step by step?

1. Collect the details. Have the National Insurance numbers for you and the person who died, your benefit details, and the funeral director's invoice or signed contract. An estimate isn't accepted for an early claim.
2. Decide how to claim. Phone the Bereavement Service on 0800 151 2012, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Welsh speakers can call 0800 731 0453. Relay UK users can dial 18001 first, and there is a British Sign Language video relay service for computer users. Or download form SF200 from GOV.UK and post it to the address on the form.
3. Claim within 6 months of the funeral. You can claim earlier, before the funeral, if you have the invoice or contract.
4. Expect a wait if you get Universal Credit. GOV.UK says you won't get a decision until after your next payment.
5. Keep copies of everything, and tell the funeral director a claim is in progress.

An adviser on the phone can also help you claim other bereavement benefits. See our guides on Bereavement Support Payment and Tell Us Once, which reports the death to most government departments in one go for England, Scotland and Wales.

What happens if your claim is refused?

GOV.UK says you can appeal to the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal if you disagree with a decision. Ask the Bereavement Service how to start, and get free advice from Citizens Advice if you're unsure. Keep the funeral director informed while you challenge it.

Does Scotland or Northern Ireland have the same scheme?

No. The rules differ by nation.

• Scotland: The Funeral Expenses Payment has been replaced by the Funeral Support Payment, run by Social Security Scotland. You can't get it if you've already had the England and Wales payment. Apply through mygov.scot. See also our guide on funeral laws in Scotland.
• Northern Ireland: nidirect runs its own scheme. It lists the same qualifying benefits, up to £1,000 for other costs and a 6-month deadline. You claim through the Bereavement Service or a form on the nidirect website.

What other help is there?

• Children's Funeral Fund (England). For a child under 18, or a baby stillborn after 24 weeks, it isn't means-tested. It covers burial or cremation fees, and a coffin or shroud up to £300, if the funeral is in England. The funeral director and the burial or cremation provider normally claim for you, within 6 months.
• A council funeral. Under section 46 of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984, a council must arrange a burial or cremation where no suitable arrangements are being made otherwise, and may recover the cost from the estate. See our guide to council funerals.
• A lower-cost funeral. Comparing funeral directors and choosing a direct cremation can cut the bill a lot. See our guides on UK direct cremation providers, funeral director costs and low-cost funerals in the UK.
• Other sources. Our overview of UK funeral financial help covers the rest.

What to do next

1. Check you meet both tests: a qualifying benefit and the right relationship.
2. Ask the funeral director for an itemised quote and an invoice or contract, so you can claim early.
3. Phone 0800 151 2012 or post form SF200 within 6 months of the funeral.
4. Keep every receipt and tell the executor about the claim, because the payment is deducted from what you inherit if there is an estate.