Bereaved Families Get Funeral Expense Payments Faster

An important to change to Funeral Expenses payment claims will help bereaved families get Funeral Expense payments faster.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Bereavement Support team receive around 800 claims a week and previously would only process claims from families that provided all the relevant information and a confirmed funeral date from a contracted funeral director.

The new change to the claim system now allows families to enter an estimated funeral date from the contracted funeral director and providing all the other information is supplied, their claim will be processed and payments received much faster.

Will Quince DWP Minister said “The new changes will help bereaved families get payments faster and ease the process when planning for a loved one’s funeral”.  He added:  “Families can now supply a funeral director’s contract with the funeral costs outlined, whereas previously they had to supply the final invoice.

Comment

This is great news for lower income families and it makes sense that payment is only authorised with a funeral directors 'contracted' letter of appointment.