There are a number of expenses involved when somebody dies. These include:
doctor's certificates
removal of the deceased
care and embalming of the deceased
hearse and limousine
notices in local papers
preparation services for the deceased
church and Minister fees
flowers
cemetery or crematorium fees
reception arrangement
memorials
There is a range of allowances and payments available to help cover these expenses.Bereavement Allowance (Form BB1)This benefit is paid if your spouse or civil partner dies and you are 45 or over but under pensionable age when they die. It is paid on a taxable weekly basis for up to 52 weeks. It is based on your late partner's National Insurance contributions. If you have dependent children you should claim widowed parent's allowance. Bereavement allowance – Directgov information (external website)Bereavement Payment (Form BB1)A bereavement payment is made if you are under pensionable age and your spouse or civil partner dies. It is a one-off, tax-free lump sum payment of £2,000. It is based on your late partner's National Insurance contributions. Bereavement payment – Directgov information (external website)Funeral Expenses Payment (Form SF200)Funeral expenses payments are grants given to help pay for a funeral, provided by the Social Fund. In order to make a claim, you or your partner must be receiving one of the following benefits: income support, pension credit, income-based jobseeker's allowance, housing benefit, council tax benefit, working tax credit that has a disability or severe disability element in it, or child tax credit in excess of the basic family element. You will need to repay this payment from the estate of the person who died. Funeral expenses payment - Directgov information (external website)Widow's Benefit Bereavement benefits replaced widow's benefits for new claimants from April 2001, but existing claimants continue to get widow's pension. Widow’s benefit – DWP information (external website)Widowed Parent's Allowance A weekly benefit introduced in April 2001, paid to widows or widowers under pensionable age with dependent children. This is based on their late spouse's National Insurance contributions.Widowed parent’s allowance – Directgov information (external website)If there is nobody to make suitable funeral arrangementsIf the deceased has no one to make suitable funeral arrangements for them, Spelthorne Council will exercise its duty under Section 46 of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act, 1984 to arrange for the deceased to be cremated or buried. This legislation allows for the recovery of expenses from the deceased's estate. BurialIt is not a requirement to purchase the grant of exclusive right of burial in a grave space. A burial may be arranged in a common grave where the exclusive rights are not purchased. A common grave is shared with unrelated burials.Graphical Version l
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