Support towards funeral costs

We are encouraging those who may lose someone over the winter months to apply for support to help with funeral costs.

Funeral Support Payment is available to people living in Scotland who receive certain benefits.

The payment can help cover some of the costs of a funeral, and can be used towards funerals for a baby, child or adult. The payment also covers funerals for babies who are stillborn.

More than £66 million has been paid to over 33,000 bereaved people since Funeral Support Payment launched in 2019.

Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said:

“A bereavement is one of the hardest things a person can experience. On top of their grief, people often face the staggering costs of paying for the funeral. The average price for a funeral in the UK is now well over £4,000 - this is a cost many do not have the resources to pay for.

“Funeral Support Payment is there to ease some of the financial pressure for grieving individuals and reduce funeral poverty for people in Scotland. I urge people to check their eligibility to receive Funeral Support Payment.”

Chief Executive of Age Scotland, Katherine Crawford, added: 

“It can be a significant financial challenge to ensure your loved one gets the dignified and respectful funeral that they deserve. But as the costs of doing so rise, it is becoming harder for many people to afford. Our research shows that only around a third of older people have made financial arrangements for their funeral, and a quarter of those on low incomes say they just can’t afford a funeral plan.

“The Funeral Support Payment is such an important element of social security, making that dignified funeral more possible and helping to alleviate the risk of people taking on debt to pay for it. We would encourage partners and family members who have recently lost a loved one to check their eligibility for this vital financial support.”

Help us raise awareness of Funeral Support Payment amongst your networks by visiting our resource page to download and access social media content, flyers, posters and payment factsheets: https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/funeral-support-payment-resources