Yes. If you’re on pension credit or an older person facing financial difficulty after the loss of a loved one, you should be able to get help.
Pensioners on low incomes can get support from the government to help with funeral costs. There are also charities that can help in some cases.
We’ve provided info on getting help with funeral costs below.
Funeral expenses payment
If you’re over state pension age and you receive pension credit you may be able to get the funeral expenses payment. This is a grant from the government that will help towards funeral costs. It will cover the cost of essentials such as burial or cremation fees.
Read our guide to the funeral expenses payment and see if you’ll be able to get the help you need.
It covers:
- Who is eligible
- What the payment covers
- How much you’ll receive
- How to apply
- How long it takes for the money to come through
Budgeting loan
A budgeting loan from the government is interest-free and could help with your funeral costs. You can apply for the budgeting loan if you’ve been getting one or more of these benefits for 6 months or longer:
- Pension credit
- Income support
- Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
- Income-related employment and support allowance
You can’t get the budgeting loan if:
- You receive universal credit
- You’re on strike or involved in a walkout
- You receive the new style jobseekers allowance or new style employment and support allowance
- You already owe £1,500 or more for budgeting loans or crisis loans from the government
This is an interest-free loan so you’ll only have to pay back what you borrow. Your repayments will be taken from your benefits automatically. This will be based on what’s affordable for you but you’ll need to pay back the loan within 2 years.
Other help with funeral costs for pensioners
If you find you’re not able to get financial support from the government there may be other ways you can get help.
Friends of the Elderly is a charity that gives grants of up to £400 to help older people with funeral costs. You can apply for the grant if:
- You live in England or Wales
- You’re of state pension age in the UK
- You’re on a low income
- You have savings of less than £4,000
- You don’t live in a care home
- You haven’t served in the armed forces
The charity can’t give grants to people who have passed away but they can give them to an older person who needs to pay for the funeral of a loved one. You’ll need to find a referral agent to apply for the grant for you. This can be someone who knows you in a professional way such as a housing officer, social worker, or a local authority worker.
If you served in the armed forces or your loved one did then you may also be able to get financial help from other charities. Read our guide on the different charities that can help with funeral costs to see if you can get the help you need.
Photo by Lina Trochez on Unsplash.