How Much Is a Funeral Grant From DWP? Get Full Cost Help
How much is a funeral grant from DWP? There is no fixed sum, there is only the Funeral Expenses Payment from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). This benefit-linked contribution pays certain necessary costs plus up to £1,000 for other funeral expenses, according to GOV.UK guidance checked in September 2026.
Key Takeaways
- No fixed sum: certain necessary costs plus up to £1,000 for other funeral expenses, or £120 with a pre-paid funeral plan.
- Claims must reach DWP within six months of the funeral, by phone or post.
- The payment usually covers only part of the bill, and the claimant covers the difference.
How Much Is a Funeral Grant from DWP? The Amount, Item by Item
The Funeral Expenses Payment pays a list of separate costs rather than one cheque. The £1,000 covers every other funeral cost combined, and the total depends on which costs a claim includes and on other money available for the funeral. The GOV.UK guide gives no typical payout figure.
| Cost | Coverage Status | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Burial fees, including the cost of a plot | Covered | Usually the least expensive local option |
| Cremation fees, including the doctor’s certificate | Covered | Usually the least expensive local option |
| One return journey to arrange or attend the funeral | Covered | Subject to restrictions |
| Moving the body more than 50 miles within the UK | Covered | Reasonable cost of the part over 50 miles |
| Death certificates and documents needed to release the person’s money | Covered | Cost of the documents |
| All other funeral expenses, such as funeral director’s fees, coffin and cars | Contribution | Up to £1,000 in total |
| Pre-paid funeral plan in place | Reduced | Up to £120 for other expenses |
However, before calculating potential payouts, you must first confirm that you meet the DWP’s strict eligibility and relationship criteria.
Who Qualifies for Help With Funeral Costs on Universal Credit or Other Benefits?
You can claim if you live in England or Wales and are the person responsible for the funeral. It must be in the UK, a listed EU or EEA country, or Switzerland. You or your partner must also be getting, or waiting to hear about, a qualifying benefit, meaning one of these income-related benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Support for Mortgage Interest
Universal Credit claimants qualify, so help with funeral costs on Universal Credit is available. Child Tax Credit and the disability or severe disability element of Working Tax Credit also qualify as eligible benefits.
If you are struggling to cover essential household costs while waiting for your Universal Credit or funeral grant decision to process, you may also qualify for a Universal Credit advance payment to bridge the gap.
The DWP notes define close relatives as parents, children, brothers and sisters, including in-law and step relations. A close relative or close friend can claim only under these rules:
| Situation | Can a close relative or close friend claim? |
|---|---|
| The person who died had a partner | No |
| A parent, son or daughter is not on a qualifying benefit, and the relationship had not broken down | No, unless an exception applies, such as under-18s or full-time students |
| Neither of the above applies | Possibly, if it is reasonable to take responsibility because of close, regular contact |
Scotland and Northern Ireland run separate schemes, and where the claimant lives decides which applies.
Residents of Scotland claim Funeral Support Payment from Social Security Scotland, which pays £1,327.75 towards other costs, or £162.05 with a pre-paid funeral plan, at the 2026/27 rate. GOV.UK points Northern Ireland claimants to a separate route.
Special Rules for Child Funerals
If the funeral is for a child under 18 or a baby stillborn after 24 weeks of pregnancy, the Children’s Funeral Fund for England (CFF) covers the burial or cremation fees directly.
This is not means-tested, meaning the parents’ income and benefit status do not affect eligibility for these core costs.
Can You Get More Than £1,000 from a Funeral Expenses Payment?
Yes, the total can exceed £1,000, because several necessary costs sit outside the £1,000 limit for other expenses. The DWP claim-form notes add these rules:
- A new or reopened grave, including any exclusive right of burial (a right to a plot for a set period), counts as a burial cost.
- Removing a pacemaker or similar device before cremation, and medical documents needed for the funeral, can be paid.
- For a move over 50 miles, DWP can pay the reasonable cost of the part over 50 miles, whether of the body or of the coffin, bearers and one extra vehicle.
- Benefit arrears and a lump-sum Bereavement Payment are not counted against the claim.
- Flowers or other items paid outside the funeral director’s bill can be covered only if the director’s charges are under £1,000.
Why the Payment Usually Falls Short of the Funeral Bill
Three rules explain most of the gap. DWP usually pays only the least expensive local option for burial or cremation fees, and the £1,000 covers every other cost combined. Money available for the funeral, such as estate money or insurance, reduces the award.
The deceased’s estate is the money and property the person left. Funeral costs are treated as a priority debt, meaning they must be paid from the estate before other standard non-priority debts are settled.
If the person died without leaving clear instructions, understanding what happens to a bank account when someone dies without a will is essential, as the bank will immediately freeze their funds until an administrator is appointed.
DWP recovers the payment from it where possible, but a home occupied by a partner and personal possessions left to relatives do not count. The claim-form notes add that the claimant is responsible for any difference between the payment and the final cost.
For example, if a funeral includes a £900 cremation fee and £2,800 for the funeral director, coffin, and cars, the bill totals £3,700. If the cremation fee is accepted in full and no other items apply, the payment ceiling is £900 plus £1,000, or £1,900. That leaves £1,800 to find, before any reduction for money available.
Compare local burial and cremation fees before booking, because the cheapest local option is the benchmark. Check whose name is on the contract too: the DWP form asks whether the signed contract or final bill is in the claimant’s or partner’s name.
How to Apply for a DWP Funeral Grant by Phone or Post
The deadline for a Funeral Expenses Payment is six months from the date of the funeral, not the date of death. The limit still applies while a qualifying benefit decision is pending. A claim can start before the funeral once the funeral director issues an invoice or signed contract, but not on an estimate.
Confirm the qualifying benefit first, as set out in the eligibility rules above, then claim as follows:
- Tell the funeral director that a claim is being made. DWP usually pays into the funeral director’s bank account when the bill is unpaid.
- Phone the DWP Bereavement Service helpline on 0800 151 2012, Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 6 PM. The Welsh-language line is 0800 731 0453, and Relay UK users dial 18001 then 0800 151 2012.
- This is a dedicated bereavement line; if you also need to notify other departments to stop the deceased’s ongoing benefit payments, check our official DWP contact number list to ensure you bypass the switchboard and reach the correct team directly. An adviser also helps with other bereavement benefits.
- Or post the SF200 claim form to Freepost DWP Funeral Payments (no stamp or postcode needed), or hand it in at a jobcentre. The PDF cannot be completed on a phone or tablet, so use a laptop or print it.
- Send the final funeral bill or signed contract as soon as it exists. DWP cannot decide without it, but the claim should start straight away.
Who receives the money?
DWP pays the funeral director when the bill is unpaid and pays the claimant when it is settled. The notes ask claimants to send the director’s method-of-payment form if one was given, and DWP normally pays the claimant into a bank, building society or credit union account.
For a part-paid bill, the notes do not say who is paid, but DWP asks how much was paid, by whom, from what source and when. The form accepts joint accounts and someone else’s account if its terms allow and the holder agrees.
Documents to have ready
- The final funeral bill or signed contract, with your name, address and National Insurance number on it
- Receipts for other costs, such as flowers, and travel tickets
- Copies of any pre-paid funeral plan and the provider’s letters
- The final bank statements of the person who died, and details of any insurance, pension or other money
- National Insurance numbers for you, your partner and the person who died
- A Housing Benefit award letter, if that is your qualifying benefit
- Details of the person’s other close relatives, which the form asks for
How Long Does a Funeral Grant Take? Timing, Decisions and Checking Progress
GOV.UK gives no official timescale for a decision and describes no online tracker for a claim. Third-party guides quote anything from under three weeks to ten weeks, none of them an official DWP timescale.
The closest official guidance: DWP cannot decide without the final bill or signed contract, and Universal Credit claimants wait for their next payment first.
Check progress by calling the Bereavement Service helpline, the official contact for questions. Answer calls that show as 0800, unknown or withheld, because DWP may use them to confirm the decision. Watch the bank statement too.
What to Do If Your DWP Funeral Grant Is Refused or Falls Short
If a claim is refused or the award looks too low, ask for the decision to be looked at again within one month, then appeal if needed. Check the decision letter against the shortfall rules above, then follow these steps:
- Call the Bereavement Service helpline and ask how the amount was worked out.
- Check whether a partner of the person who died, or a closer family member not on a qualifying benefit, affects the claim.
- Ask for mandatory reconsideration, a request that DWP looks at its decision again, within one month of the date on the decision letter. GOV.UK accepts a later request with a good reason, such as a bereavement.
- If the decision stands, appeal to the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal within one month of the reconsideration decision. The appeal is free.
- Tell the funeral director about the shortfall early, and keep a record of what has been paid, by whom and when.
Bereavement Support Payment is a separate benefit for some bereaved partners, and GOV.UK lists it as a separate step.
Five Errors Repeated Online, Corrected
Several claims repeated across online guides conflict with the current DWP notes and GOV.UK.
| Common claim | What GOV.UK and the DWP notes say |
|---|---|
| Burial and cremation fees are always paid in full | DWP can pay only certain costs, usually the least expensive local option |
| An estimate is enough to claim | Not accepted; a final bill or signed contract is needed |
| A claim can be made online | GOV.UK lists phone and post only |
| Council Tax Reduction qualifies as a benefit | Not on the current list (unlike Child Tax Credit, which does qualify) |
| The payment always goes to the claimant | Usually paid into the funeral director’s bank account when the bill is unpaid |
Summary: Checking Your Eligibility and Shortfall
Ultimately, the DWP payment covers specific listed costs rather than providing a single guaranteed amount: necessary fees, travel and documents, plus up to £1,000 for everything else.
Claim by phone or post within six months of the funeral, expect a shortfall on most bills, and check the qualifying-benefit list before booking a funeral director.
FAQs
Can you apply for a DWP funeral grant online?
GOV.UK lists two ways to claim in England and Wales: phone the Bereavement Service helpline or post the SF200 form. The form is a PDF that cannot be completed on a mobile phone or tablet.
How long does a funeral grant take?
GOV.UK gives no official timescale. DWP cannot decide until it has the final funeral bill or signed contract, and Universal Credit claimants get no decision until after their next payment.
Can you get help with funeral costs on Universal Credit?
Yes. Universal Credit is a qualifying benefit, and a claim can go ahead while a benefit decision is pending. The funeral decision waits until after the next Universal Credit payment.
How much is a funeral grant from DWP if the person had a pre-paid funeral plan?
DWP cannot pay for items the plan fully covers. It may pay necessary costs the plan misses or only partly covers, plus up to £120 for other funeral expenses.
Is PIP a qualifying benefit for a Funeral Expenses Payment?
No. Personal Independence Payment is not among the seven qualifying benefits in the DWP claim-form notes, so receiving it alone does not qualify a claimant.
What if a DWP funeral grant is refused?
Ask for mandatory reconsideration within one month of the decision letter. If the decision stands, appeal to the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal within one month of the reconsideration decision.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational guidance only; eligibility criteria, payment values, and decisions are determined solely by the DWP under official regulations.
