Coronavirus guidance for Funeral Support Payment

If a client submits a late application for Funeral Support Payment due to coronavirus (COVID-19), or the impacts of the UK lockdown, it should still be processed as if it was on time. This affects applications made from 7 April 2020. The earliest date these can be backdated to is 31 January 2020. The client must have met all the eligibility criteria on this date.

Applications are considered late if it has been over six months since the date of the funeral and not within the 20 working day extension period for backdated qualifying benefits.

You will recognise one of these applications if (both of the following):

• the client has mentioned COVID-19 while making their application
• at the end of processing a case, the Eligibility Check shows ‘Not Eligible’, due to being outside of the eligibility window