Funeral Payments

What is it?

A Funeral Payment is a lump sum payment to assist a person responsible for funeral expenses. Further assistance in the form of an Additional Funeral Payment may be given if the person responsible for the funeral bill (or their partner) is entitled to one of the following income related benefits Income Support, Employed Person's Allowance or Income based Jobseeker’s Allowance.

Basic qualifying conditions

A Funeral Payment (claim form SF1/BP20) is payable if:

The death has occurred, or is treated as having occurred, on the Island and the deceased was, at the date of death:

• ordinarily resident on the Island; or
• absent from the Island being abroad as a serving member of the armed forces or living abroad with a member of the armed forces and was the spouse, civil partner, son, daughter, father or mother of that person and the funeral takes place on the Island; and

The claimant is aged 16 or over and is:

• the personal representative of the deceased
• a person who has paid the deceased’s funeral expenses
• a person who has taken responsibility for payment of the deceased’s funeral expenses; or
• a person entitled under Will or on the intestacy (as the case may be) of the deceased

Additional Funeral Payment

An Additional Funeral Payment (claim form SF200) may be payable if you or your partner are in receipt of one of the income related benefits mentioned above and have taken responsibility for the funeral costs of your deceased

• partner or child; or
• close relative or close friend (provided it is reasonable for you to accept responsibility for the costs, which will depend on the level of contact you had with the deceased)

You will not be entitled to an Additional Funeral Payment if you or your partner have (or together have) capital of more than £6000.

How much could I get and how much am I paid?

Payments for universal payments are made by cheque which can be cashed at a Post Office or paid into a bank or building society account.

In a case where an Additional Funeral Payment is claimed, the payment is usually paid directly to the funeral director.

How and when should I apply?

Claim form SF1/BP20 – Claim for Funeral Payment and/or arrears of benefit can be downloaded and SF200 – Additional Funeral Payment is available from all Social Security offices or by contacting the Funeral Payments Unit.