Social Security Scotland highlights Funeral Support Payment
Social Security Scotland is helping to combat funeral poverty by raising awareness about Funeral Support Payment during National Grief Awareness Week (2 – 8 Dec).
It is providing funeral directors, faith groups and registrars with access to a range of downloadable resources about the payment.
The resources include posters, leaflets, social media posts and video content.
Funeral Support Payment is available to people in Scotland who need help towards the cost of a funeral and get Universal Credit or other qualifying benefits.
It can be used towards funeral costs for a baby, a child or an adult.
This includes stillborn babies.
Legislation is also coming into effect on 2 December which will improve the way the benefit is delivered and provide further support to people who are struggling to pay funeral costs.
The changes are based on feedback from past recipients and stakeholders, including the funeral industry, charities and bereavement support groups.
Shirley-Anne Somerville, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, said:
“We are all familiar with terms like child poverty and fuel poverty but funeral poverty is affecting more and more people.
“The average cost of a funeral in the UK is now £4,000, well beyond the means of many families.
“It is hugely important for us to mark the passing of our loved ones.
“Sadly, people experiencing the immediate shock and grief of a significant death often make arrangements for funerals with little understanding of the financial implications and with limited resources to pay big bills.
“Since Funeral Support Payment was launched in 2019, the Scottish Government has provided over £54.2 million in support to more than 28,000 bereaved people to help pay for funeral costs when they need it most.”
Gordon Black, Director with Alex Black Funeral Care Glasgow, said:
“Funeral Support Payment is definitely important.
“Some 70% of our funerals are covered by Funeral Support Payment.
“We work in a lot of deprived areas and the payment is a real help to the people we serve.
“We have Funeral Support Payment leaflets and posters in all our offices and arrangement rooms and we mention it if a family says to us they are going to struggle with paying for the funeral.”
