Wednesday Live Bereavement Benefits Debate

Committee questions DWP minister Baroness Altmann on bereavement expenses and help available

In December last year the Committee launched an inquiry into the help that is available to people on lower incomes to cope with funeral expenses and the loss of essential income that can come with losing a family member.

Committee Members have heard that one claimant had to have her son frozen whilst she saved because she was unable to pay for the funeral. The Government provides Social Fund payments to help people unable to pay for funerals, but these are paid in retrospect and do not cover the full costs.

Factors such as lack of burial space, rising funeral director’s fees and the increase of private crematoria have all been cited as reasons for the increasing cost of funerals.

 Tomorrow Wednesday 27 January 2015 the at 9.30 am in the Wilson Room, Portcullis House, the Committee will question Simon Cox of Royal London Group, followed by DWP Minister Baroness Altmann on the issues raised by the inquiry, including:

Funerals

• The rationale for a cap of £700 for “other funeral expenses” which must cover collection and care of the deceased, coffin, Minister’s fee etc. The cap has been in place since 2003.
• Whether changes to Social Fund funeral payments could help to curb the number of Public Health Funerals. An FOI by the BBC suggests that the number Public Health Funerals is increasing

Bereavement benefits

• Whether changes could be made so that cohabiting couples with children are also eligible for the new Bereavement Support Payment.  Currently only married couples or couples in a civil partnership are eligible, even if couples have dependent children together
• Why the Bereavement Support Payment is only paid for a year whereas Widowed Parent’s Allowance is payable for a number of years and the impact this could have on bereaved children