Funeral Expenses Payment: How to Apply for DWP Help

Funeral costs in the UK average over £4,000, and rising. For families on low incomes, meeting this expense at a time of grief can be genuinely distressing. The DWP's Funeral Expenses Payment — part of the Social Fund — is a grant (not a loan) to help cover the cost of a basic, respectful funeral. It is not widely publicised, but around 32,000 payments are made each year.

Eligibility: Qualifying Benefits

To be eligible for a Funeral Expenses Payment, you must be the person responsible for the funeral costs AND be claiming at least one of the following benefits at the time of the application:

• Universal Credit
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Pension Credit
• Housing Benefit
• The disability or severe disability element of Working Tax Credit
• Child Tax Credit (at a rate higher than the family element)

You do not need to have been claiming the benefit for any minimum period — the key is that you are receiving a qualifying benefit on the date you apply.

You must also be the person responsible for the funeral. This means you have taken on the financial responsibility for arranging and paying for it. You do not need to be a close relative — friends or partners can apply if they are the responsible person.

How Much Is Paid

A Funeral Expenses Payment covers:

• The full cost of a burial fee or cremation fee (whichever applies)
• Up to £1,000 for other funeral costs, including:
  • Funeral director's fees
  • Flowers
  • Death certificates
  • Transport of the body
  • Coffin
• Travel expenses: necessary travel costs in the UK to arrange or attend the funeral (subject to limits)
• The cost of moving the body within the UK (if the person died more than 50 miles from the funeral venue)

The average payment made in 2023/24 was around £1,700, though the actual amount varies significantly depending on the type of funeral and the costs involved.

The payment is a contribution towards costs — it rarely covers the total bill for a full funeral. If the total cost exceeds what is covered, you are responsible for the remainder.

How to Apply: Form SF200

You apply using form SF200 — the Funeral Payment application form. You can get it in several ways:

• Download from gov.uk/funeral-payments (search "Funeral Expenses Payment")
• Call the DWP Bereavement Service on 0800 731 0469 to request a postal form
• Collect one from your local Jobcentre Plus office

You will need to provide the following information and documents with your application:

• Your name, address, and National Insurance number
• The deceased's name, date of birth, and date of death
• The name and address of the funeral director
• The date of the funeral and details of the type of funeral (burial or cremation)
• Details of any assets or savings the deceased had at the time of death (including any insurance policies in their name)
• Evidence that you are claiming a qualifying benefit (usually automatically checked by the DWP)

The DWP aims to process claims within 12 weeks of receiving a complete application. If the funeral director has not yet been paid, the DWP can pay them directly, which is often the most practical option.

The Time Limit for Applying

In England and Wales, you must apply within 6 monthsof the date of the funeral. This deadline is strict — late applications are not accepted. If you are close to the deadline, contact the DWP immediately by telephone and explain your circumstances.

In Scotland, the equivalent payment is the Funeral Support Payment, administered by Social Security Scotland rather than the DWP. The application deadline is 6 months from the date of the funeral, and eligibility rules are broadly similar. You apply at mygov.scot/funeral-support-payment or by calling 0800 182 2222.

Repayment from the Estate

The Funeral Expenses Payment is not a conventional loan, but the DWP has the right to recover the money from the deceased's estate if there are assets to pay it back. This is often a source of confusion.

Specifically, the DWP will deduct from any of the following assets before paying out:

• Any money left in the deceased's bank accounts or building society accounts
• Life insurance or other insurance policies that are in the deceased's name and payable to the estate
• Any other assets of the estate

If the estate does not have enough to repay the payment in full, the remainder is written off — you are not personally liable to repay it from your own money. However, if the estate later receives assets (for example, the property is sold during probate), the DWP may seek to recover the amount from the proceeds.

You should declare any assets the deceased had on the SF200 form. Failing to disclose assets is treated as fraud, so it is important to be honest even if this reduces or eliminates the payment.