£9 million paid out in Funeral Support Payment

Between April 2024 and 31 December 2024, £9million in Funeral Support Payment was paid to enable people to pay their respects to their loved ones with dignity and meaning.

Funeral Support Payment is available to people in Scotland who get Universal Credit or other qualifying benefits and need help towards the cost of a funeral. It can be used towards funeral costs for a baby, a child or an adult. This includes stillborn babies.

Research into funeral poverty, commissioned by the Marie Curie charity, found, “there is emotional resonance attached to funeral costs. People want arrangements for disposal of the body and commemoration of the life now ended that have meaning and dignity.

“Even if they compare prices or seek low-cost options, what is available more cheaply may not fit what they want or the choices and decisions they make.”

The latest statistics published by Social Security Scotland show that £9 million was paid between April 2024 and 31 December 2024, helping bereaved families avoid funeral poverty.

They also show that, since the payment was introduced in September 2019, nearly three-quarters (73%) of the 45,295 applications processed were approved.

The payment isn’t a loan and doesn’t need to be paid back, although Social Security Scotland will recover the payment from the estate of the person who died if they leave any financial assets.

This financial year (2024/25), the average payment was £2,103 - up from £1,974 in 2023/24. Most payments (62%) this financial year, were paid directly to funeral directors with the rest paid directly to clients.

The total value of payments issued between 16 September 2019 and 31 December 2024 was £56.9 million.

The payment can cover burial and cremation costs. There is also a flat rate for any other expenses. This is £1,257.75 for most applications or £153.50 if the person who died had a fully paid-up funeral plan in place. It can also cover other costs such as travel expenses, documents and medical expenses.

People may be eligible for Funeral Support Payment if they meet all of the criteria below:

• they live in Scotland
• they or their partner are getting certain benefits or tax credits*
• the person who died lived in the UK
• the funeral is being held in the UK, in some circumstances in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, and anywhere in the world outside the UK in exceptional circumstances
• they are applying after the person has died, until 6 months after the date of their funeral
• they or their partner are responsible for the funeral costs
• it is reasonable for them or their partner to accept responsibility for the funeral costs.

* Universal Credit (UC), Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income related Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Child Tax Credit (CTC) and disability or severe disability element of Working Tax Credit.

A wide range of resources are available to help stakeholders raise awareness about Funeral Support Payment. These include downloadable posters, factsheets in community languages, social media posts, videos and graphics.

People can find out more and apply online for Funeral Support Payment at mygov.scot/funeralsupport. People can also apply in person, over the phone or ask for a paper application form by post by calling us free on 0800 182 2222.

Before applying for Funeral Support Payment, people should register the death or stillbirth and can give their funeral director (if they have one) consent to speak with Social Security Scotland about their application. This will minimise the time taken to process the application.