Funeral Grant

lovetowinacar

Hi I am asking question for a friend -

There is a funeral grant available to help with funeral costs, my friend has one of the qualifying benefits - council tax benefit. The funeral estimate is much higher than the amount of the grant how does the difference get paid - does he have to take a loan for the difference (he has no savings and funeral is for a relative - uncle who had no money and has to be cremated and it costs so much)

Help please if anyone knows what amount he has to pay from a basic funeral he has gone for the cheapest option there is:)

seven-day-weekend

Presumably he will have to come to some arrangement with the undertaker to pay in instalments.

Where he gets the extra money from is up to him I would have thought.

paulofessex

Not knowing how these things work as have never been in that situation, however my understanding is that funeral directors are normally very good at relevant advice and may know of other ways to minimise the costs. Is it possible to ring round different companies for quotes, or has it passed that stage.

Please pass my best wishes to your friend

McKneff

Does the uncle have any assets in his estate that can be sold.
did he own his house, did he have a car, jewellry that can be sold.

No insurance policies to be paid out etc.

If there is indeed nothing then i think help is available but he would have to prove the need.

DX2

lovetowinacar wrote: »

Hi I am asking question for a friend -

There is a funeral grant available to help with funeral costs, my friend has one of the qualifying benefits - council tax benefit. The funeral estimate is much higher than the amount of the grant how does the difference get paid - does he have to take a loan for the difference (he has no savings and funeral is for a relative - uncle who had no money and has to be cremated and it costs so much)

Help please if anyone knows what amount he has to pay from a basic funeral he has gone for the cheapest option there is:)

A cremation is by far cheaper than a burial.
Where is aunt? Your friend may not even be entitled to claim for a funeral grant, if there is a shortfall they will have to either get a loan or make arrangements with the undertaker to pay it up.
Responsibility for the funeral

You will not be granted a funeral payment just because you are paying for a funeral. The Jobcentre Plus office has to accept that it is reasonable for you to be responsible for the funeral costs and that there is no one else who should be paying for it. If you are claiming funeral costs for your child who has died or if you are the partner of the person who has died, you can be paid a funeral payment as long as you meet the benefit conditions. This applies to lesbian and gay partners as well as heterosexual partners. It also applies whether you were married, in a civil partnership or just living together.
If you are a close relative, family member or a friend of the person who has died, you may be able to get a funeral payment, but it will depend whether there are other relatives alive who are not on benefit. If there is someone closer or equally close to the person who has died who is not on benefit, you cannot usually get a funeral payment. In this situation, the Jobcentre Plus office will also consider whether it is reasonable for you to accept responsibility for the funeral expenses. They will look at how well you knew the dead person.
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/your_money/benefits/help_for_people_on_a_low_income_-_the_social_fund.htm#funeral_payments

AsknAnswer2

I'm afraid that if he signs the contract he is liable for the payment of the funeral, including any remainder left after a funeral payment award; the government only offers help for funeral expenses in the form of a funeral payment. Therefore he would need to come to some arrangement with the funeral director for repayment of the expenses.

Please also note that this is not a grant - it can be recovered at a later date in some circumstances.

lovetowinacar

DX2 wrote: »

A cremation is by far cheaper than a burial.
Where is aunt? Your friend may not even be entitled to claim for a funeral grant, if there is a shortfall they will have to either get a loan or make arrangements with the undertaker to pay it up.
Responsibility for the funeral

You will not be granted a funeral payment just because you are paying for a funeral. The Jobcentre Plus office has to accept that it is reasonable for you to be responsible for the funeral costs and that there is no one else who should be paying for it. If you are claiming funeral costs for your child who has died or if you are the partner of the person who has died, you can be paid a funeral payment as long as you meet the benefit conditions. This applies to lesbian and gay partners as well as heterosexual partners. It also applies whether you were married, in a civil partnership or just living together.
If you are a close relative, family member or a friend of the person who has died, you may be able to get a funeral payment, but it will depend whether there are other relatives alive who are not on benefit. If there is someone closer or equally close to the person who has died who is not on benefit, you cannot usually get a funeral payment. In this situation, the Jobcentre Plus office will also consider whether it is reasonable for you to accept responsibility for the funeral expenses. They will look at how well you knew the dead person.
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/your_money/benefits/help_for_people_on_a_low_income_-_the_social_fund.htm#funeral_payments

Many thanks - He has the forms but it doesn't actually state how much is paid on them.

Answers to questions: There is no aunt - the uncle never married and never had children. He is the only surviving relative. The uncle lived in rented accomodation and has no assets at all - even the bank account is in the red and has rent arrears. Funeral means cremation, not going to be burried to save money, however the lowest quote for the "basic" funeral with a cardboard coffin and cremation fees and 1 hearse to take body from funeral directors to crematorium comes to the grand total of £2300!!!!! Crazy figure but the minimum cost. Hence the worry about where to pay for it - it seems rather unfair that just because you are a relative you have to pick up the costs when someone makes no effort to leave funds to pay for themselves

lovetowinacar

AsknAnswer2 wrote: »

I'm afraid that if he signs the contract he is liable for the payment of the funeral, including any remainder left after a funeral payment award; the government only offers help for funeral expenses in the form of a funeral payment. Therefore he would need to come to some arrangement with the funeral director for repayment of the expenses.

Please also note that this is not a grant - it can be recovered at a later date in some circumstances.

Crazy though since he has to be cremated so friend has to sign contract to get him cremated and that means agreeing to pay the bill - its a catch 22:(

lovetowinacar

McKneff wrote: »

Does the uncle have any assets in his estate that can be sold.
did he own his house, did he have a car, jewellry that can be sold.

No insurance policies to be paid out etc.

If there is indeed nothing then i think help is available but he would have to prove the need.

No jewellery, no car, no house, no savings, lived like a tramp but in rented accomodation and that has rent arrears, no furniture to sell, basically the flat had to be emptied and items sent to tip then ready for next tenant!

The tv was balck and white there is nothing to sell - sad but there are real poor people in this country, they tend to disappear under the radar a bit.

dmg24

If you contact your local council they should be able to arrange and pay for a basic funeral.

McKneff

lovetowinacar wrote: »

No jewellery, no car, no house, no savings, lived like a tramp but in rented accomodation and that has rent arrears, no furniture to sell, basically the flat had to be emptied and items sent to tip then ready for next tenant!

The tv was balck and white there is nothing to sell - sad but there are real poor people in this country, they tend to disappear under the radar a bit.

How sad, it brings a lump to my throat.

Sometimes its just pure naivety on the part of the person,
not knowing what they could claim for or even being in the mindset
that he thought it would be charity and did not want to claim.
Perhaps he knew no different and was quite happy to live like that becuase thats the way it was.
I am not a religious person but whenever i go away on holiday i always visit a church just for a look and always light a candle. The next one
will be for this gentelman even though i dont know his name.

And just in case you dont know, if he died with no assets none of his debts are enforceable. They die with him.