If you are responsible for arranging the funeral and you or your partner are receiving:
- Income support
- Council tax benefit
- Housing benefit
- Working family tax credit allowance
- Disability working allowance
- Job seekers allowance
You may be able to obtain help from the social fund to contribute towards the cost of the funeral. In most cases it is unlikely that the amount paid by the social fund will cover the total cost of the funeral.
Clients should check with the DSS as to which benefits apply.
The Registrar will provide you with a White Certificate of Registration of Death (Form BD8), which is required to claim any Social Fund Benefit and should be taken to your local Department of Social Security Office, together with the following documents (if they are to hand or can be obtained easily)
- The deceased’s birth certificate
- Social fund claim form (SF 200)
- The marriage certificate (where applicable)
- National insurance contribution card
- Any DSS pension or allowance books
- An estimate of funeral charge-issued by us
Social Security Help
A claim should be made within three months after death but it is advisable to lodge the claim as soon as possible even if all the documents are not available. Any payment from the fund will normally be paid within ten days and is usually a Giro.
The Social Fund payment is not part of deceased person's estate and therefore is not liable for estate duty. Any funeral payment which is made can be recovered by the DSS should funds become available from the deceased estate.