Funeral payment when on benefits?

cheap_charlie

My heart goes out to your mother - this is a terrible situation for her to be in.

My husband died in March and I took care in checking out which funeral companies offered what before I chose one. I know how distressing it is to have to do this but its worthwhile.

The funeral directors I chose didn't expect any payment until 28 days after the funeral, however I was able to pay earlier than that.

They may well be businesses but they have a duty of care in my opinion too, and while for some people paying £1,000 upfront isn't a problem, for others its a huge mountain to climb.

As the DWP will ultimately be paying for the service then I cannot understand why they need this money upfront - I believe a REPUTABLE funeral director wouldn't do this.

Errata

What a rotten situation. I think the undertakers are being very, very harsh. Other industries don't expect to be paid for work before it's carried out. For instance, garages don't ask to be paid for a service before they carry it out.
I wouldn't worry about paying them anything on Monday, they can hardly make out an invoice for the job when the job hasn't been completed, and it seems to me that's the only way you can be sure that even the amount they ask for as a 'deposit' is fair.
Like any business, undertakers will organise their prices, billing and cashflow in the full knowledge there will be late payers, non-payers, and they can rely on a steady flow of customers until doomsday.

Mee

I arranaged my father's funeral last month. As he had been ill for over a year I had some prep. time. The Co-op only required me to pay 25% deposit and to pay in full a month after the funeral. I would check National Funeral Directors Association web site (http://www.nafd.org.uk/), if the FD is a member, NFDA they may be able to advise and intercede on your behalf.

sloughflint

marc.faulkner wrote: »

The problem is, my mother had already signed and agreed before they stated that they needed the money on Monday (which she realises was a mistake, however she wasn't exepcting them to be so unreasonable).

So hopefully she hasn't signed anything that states payment should be upfront.
You could try contacting a trade association for some advice:
Googled and found this:

About the Service Provided by a Funeral Director
Most funerals are conducted well, but if you have a justified complaint, you should contact your funeral director. If you are not satisfied with the response, you can complain to whichever of the three trade associations listed below your funeral director belongs to:

• The National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD)
• The National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF)
• Funeral Standards Council (FSC)

The Funeral Ombudsman Scheme (FOS) deals with complaints that cannot be resolved at trade Association level. It does not deal with complaints relating to members of NAFD, which has its own independent client redress scheme. Advice may also be obtained from your local trading standards department.

edit: the top link doesn't seem correct so here is another:
http://www.nafd.org.uk/funeral-advice/funeral-advice-home.aspx

sloughflint

marc.faulkner wrote: »

. He was due to receive inheritance from his recently deceased father (approx 20k), however as he has dies before probate was granted it seems that this money will be shared amongst his siblings.

I know that this is a separate issue to the funeral problem but I would urge your Mum to investigate this aspect a bit more when she has more time.

I find it odd that it's not the date of his late father's death which is the important date.

Surely the Grant of Probate has nothing to do with deciding how the inheritance is allocated.It would be the Will that dictates,I'd have thought.
After all some people do not have enough assets to require a grant of probate.

I'd have thought that as your mother's husband was still alive when his father died, then his Estate would be entitled to the inheritance.

http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/civil/probate/index.htm

Dee140157

I too would check this out. If your father inherited money whilst alive, provided he survived more than a a certain limited time (not sure what this is but think it is only a matter of weeks) then as his widow she will be entitled to the money if your father died intestate or if he willed it to her. It does not automatically go to his siblings.

hardpressed

The OP said it was her mother's partner who has died so unless he had made a will in her favour she will not inherit.

zzzLazyDaisy

hardpressed wrote: »

The OP said it was her mother's partner who has died so unless he had made a will in her favour she will not inherit.

No, but his child will

hardpressed

Just read the OP again and is says he has four children so unless he's made a will and left everything to his partner, his inheritance will be divided between these four children

sloughflint

hardpressed wrote: »

The OP said it was her mother's partner who has died so unless he had made a will in her favour she will not inherit.

My point was that I found it strange that the date of grant of probate was being described as being so significant.
I am hoping that the situation would be that the deceased man would still inherit posthumously his father's inheritance.
In which case he'd have an estate out of which the funeral could be paid for.

Who inherits the rest will depend on whether there was a Will.