Funeral Expenses Payment¶
Funeral Expenses Payment is the means-tested grant from the DWP that helps people on a qualifying low-income benefit pay for the funeral of a partner, child, or close relative. It applies in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland; Scotland operates a separate, more generous scheme called Funeral Support Payment administered by Social Security Scotland. [source: gov-uk/funeral-payments-2026-04-30.html]
What it pays. The grant is split in two: the necessary burial or cremation fees in full, plus up to a capped sum for other costs (funeral director's fees, the coffin, flowers, transport of the deceased over 50 miles, religious requirements, and the death certificates needed to release estate funds). The cap on the second component changes from time to time; check the gov.uk page for the current figure. [source: gov-uk/funeral-payments-what-youll-get-2026-04-30.html]
The pre-paid funeral plan rule. If the deceased held a pre-paid funeral plan, the payment is capped at £120 for items the plan does not cover. The plan itself is expected to fund the bulk of the funeral. [source: gov-uk/funeral-payments-what-youll-get-2026-04-30.html]
Who can claim. The claimant must be on a qualifying benefit at the time of the claim — Universal Credit, Income Support, income-based JSA, income-related ESA, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Child Tax Credit, or Working Tax Credit with a disability or severe-disability element — and must be the partner of the deceased or, where there is no surviving partner, a parent (for a child) or close relative or friend in defined circumstances. [source: gov-uk/funeral-payments-eligibility-2026-04-30.html]
The claim window. The claim must be made within 6 months of the funeral. Claims can be made before the funeral has taken place, once the date is set. Phone claims to the Bereavement Service on 0800 151 2012 are processed faster than postal claims using form SF200. Payment is made into the claimant's bank account, or directly to the funeral director if the claimant has not yet paid. [source: gov-uk/funeral-payments-how-to-claim-2026-04-30.html]
It is a claim against the estate. Funeral Expenses Payment is a non-repayable grant from the DWP's perspective, but the DWP can recover the amount paid from the deceased's estate after probate is granted, where there is enough in the estate to cover it. Where the estate has no surplus after priority debts are paid, no recovery happens. Beneficiaries should be aware that the recovery reduces the residue available for distribution. [source: gov-uk/funeral-payments-2026-04-30.html]
Last verified: 30 April 2026 against gov.uk/funeral-payments.