Crake and Mallon Funeral Service
45 Norton Road, Stockton on Tees, TS18 2BU

Telephone (day or night)
+44 (0)1642 611716
+44 (0)1642 614667

DWP – help with funeral costs

How it works

You could get a Funeral Expenses Payment (also called a funeral payment) from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) if you get certain benefits (https://www.gov.uk/funeral-payments/eligibility) and need help to pay for a funeral you are arranging.

If you receive money from the deceased’s estate
Your Funeral Expenses Payment will be deducted from any money you get from the deceased’s estate.  The estate includes any money or property they had but not a house or personal things left to a widow, widower or surviving civil partner.

What you could receive if your claim is successful
The Funeral Expenses Payment can help to pay for some of the costs of the following: 

  • Burial fees for a particular plot 
  • Cremation fees (including the cost of the doctor’s certificate) plus an additional 
  • Contribution of £1,000 for any other funeral expenses, such as funeral director’s fees, flowers or the coffin

How much you will receive will be dependent on your circumstance.  This includes any other money that is available to cover the costs, for example from an insurance policy or the deceased person’s estate.

You can find out more on the claim form notes (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/funeral-payment-claim-form) for full details of what the Funeral Expenses Payment covers.

If the person who has died had a pre-paid funeral plan, you can only get up to £120 to help pay for items not covered by the plan.

How the money is paid
The Funeral Expenses Payment will be paid directly to ourselves if the funeral account is unpaid or only partially paid.  If you are submitting a claim for the funeral expenses payment, you will still need to meet one of our payment options as noted above (such as the 40% deposit option).

Eligibility

In order to be eligible to submit a claim for the Funeral Expenses Payment, you must be one of the following:

  • The partner of the deceased when they died
  • A close relative or close friend of the deceased
  • The parent of a baby stillborn after 24 weeks of pregnancy
  • The parent of the deceased child, if they were under 16 (or under 20 and not in full-time education)

You (or your partner) must get one or more of the following:

  • Income Support 
  • Income-based Job Seeker’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 
  • Universal Credit 

Please note:  you might not get a Funeral Expenses Payment if another close relative of the deceased (such as a sibling or parent) is in work.

The payment will not usually cover all of the costs of the funeral. For example, based on an attended cremation service (as noted on our prices page), the claim would be calculated as follows:

How to claim

Although you can apply within 6 months of the funeral taking place, we strongly advise making contact with the DWP at the earliest opportunity to discuss making a claim – you can make your application even if you are waiting for a decision regarding a qualifying benefit. You can make an application before the funeral takes place if you have an invoice from us.

Claim by phone by calling the Bereavement Service helpline.

Bereavement Service helpline

Telephone: 0800 169 0140 (select option 2)
Welsh language: 0800 731 0453
Textphone: 0800 731 0464
Welsh language textphone: 0800 731 0456
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0469
Video relay service for British Sign Language (BSL) users - check you can use the service
Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 3.30pm

Find out about call charges

Please advise your Funeral Director or a member of our staff if you intend to make a claim.
Additional information is available online – https://www.gov.uk/funeral-payments

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Claiming the Funeral Expenses Payment

For example - an attended cremation service with hearse and one limousine

Funeral Expenses Payment claim to DWP - the maximum amount you would be able to claim is:

Cremation fees of £955 plus a contribution to other expenses of £1000

Balance to be paid by the person arranging the funeral

Example:

Total cost : £3896.00
Total claim : £1955.00
Balance due : £1941.00
Notes: Please note that if you wish to submit a claim to the DWP for assistance with the cost of a funeral, you will still need to be able to make a deposit payment of 40% prior to the funeral taking place.
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Claiming the Funeral Expenses Payment – payment stages

Attended cremation service with hearse and one limousine 40% deposit paid at least 5 days before the funeral takes place.

On our example shown above a 40% deposit is made at the time of the arrangements. An application is then made to the DWP for the Funeral Expenses Payment (this can take 3-4 weeks to be processed).

The maximum amount of £1955.00 is awarded and paid directly to the funeral director. This leaves a remaining balance for the family to pay of £295.00.

Example:

Total cost : £3986.00
Less deposit : £1558.40
Balance : £2337.60
Funeral Expenses Payment received : £1955.00
Balance due : £382.60
Notes: Please note: We cannot guarantee that you will be successful in your claim for the Funeral Expenses Payment – if your claim is unsuccessful the whole of the cost of the funeral remains your responsibility.
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SERVICES

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I would highly recommend this company, from start to finish nothing has been too much trouble, they have taken care of our family’s wishes at this difficult and sad time, we are forever grateful, it was a wish from our mum to choose this company and she certainly chose wisely, many thanks to Kevin our funeral director and Emma and the office team.

I would like to thank the amazing staff in taking care of my dad. The support and service was excellent in every way and the organisation and focus on every detail can only be described as excellent. My mum who is in a wheelchair was accommodated so well and supported to say goodbye Highly recommended and a special thank you to Lee and Louise

We cannot recommend this company highly enough. From the very first phone call to the final goodbye, they were right by our side, even though we were based "long distance" due to Covid19 rules. Chris Black was kindness personified, and we will always be grateful to him for his help, compassion and professionalism. Huge, huge thanks to all

Have used this firm twice recently I would like to express how pleased I was with the service, having to organise funerals is never easy but with the assistance of Christopher Black it was made so much easier. The compassion & professionalism he displayed will never be forgotten. He is a huge asset to this firm, thank you so very much.

Having used Crake and Mallon recently on the passing of my dad, I just wanted to express my thanks to them. All staff were amazing, dealing with us with such care and empathy, nothing was too much trouble and Lee was superb. Dealing with everything and guiding us at each step and making such a devastating time for us a little easier. Much respect to all at Crake and Mallon, thank you!!