When a loved one dies the last thing the bereaved want to worry about is the cost of giving them a respectful and fitting farewell.
In Scotland people can apply for funding support to pay for a funeral and other associated costs.
Funeral Support Payment can help towards the cost of: burial or cremation, travel, moving the person who died and the relevant documents.
People in Scotland who get Universal Credit or other qualifying benefits, can apply for the Funeral Support Payment. It can be used towards funeral costs for a baby, including stillborn babies, a child or an adult. The average payment in 2024/25, up to 31 December 2024, was just over £2,100.
Shirley-Anne Somerville, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice in the Scottish Government, explained:
“Research carried out for the Marie Curie charity found that people want to commemorate the life which has ended with meaning and dignity. There are strong emotions around funerals and how much they cost.
“Funeral Support Payment supports people in their grief. While it doesn’t usually cover the full cost of a funeral, it does help people respectfully mark the life of their friend or relative without the fear of funeral poverty.”
Click on this link to find out more: Funeral Support Payment
5 – 11 May is Dying Matters Awareness Week. Organised by Hospice UK, aims to break down the stigma and taboos surrounding talking about death and dying.
