Charity encourages scots to share funeral expenses stories with scottish government to stop funeral debt
Following news today from the Scottish Government that it’s seeking more people to submit their views to the funeral expense assistance consultation, the national charity for older people, Age Scotland, is calling for the benefit to be increased so grieving families who most need financial support can avoid debt and ensure a respectful and dignified funeral for their loved one.
Age Scotland, who have submitted their response to the government, believes that the proposed regulations are largely positive but that more can be done to meet the needs of those mourning their loved ones.
The maximum payment to eligible families granted under the Funeral Expense Assistance benefit proposals is £700. This does not include the cost of a cremation or burial which is separately covered by the benefit.
Research by Citizens Advice Scotland shows that the average cost of funeral director fees is £1900, excluding the burial or cremation fees, which leaves a substantial cost to those on a low income and least able to afford it which could result in them going into debt to cover the shortfall. The inflated rates vary around Scotland.
Delia Henry, Age Scotland’s Charity Director – who gave evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Social Security Committee on this matter in June said:
“There is much to be welcomed in the Scottish Government’s plans for Funeral Expense Assistance, not least the human rights approach, the commitment to speed up applications compared to the UK government’s timeframe and widening the eligibility.
“The plan to increase the payment with inflation is important, particularly as it has been frozen since 2003, but we feel that for those least able to afford it, the gap left between the maximum payment of £700 and the average cost of a simple funeral is too high. There is an opportunity for the Scottish Government to help people avoid getting into debt to pay for a modest, yet respectful funeral for their loved one.”
“Clarity and simplicity for families is critical. We hear from people via our Freephone helpline who are confused over the current funeral policy and are extremely distressed during a sensitive time.”
“We strongly encourage that clearer communication between the new Social Security Scotland, local authorities and funeral directors take place to ensure that eligible families are advised accurately about the size of their entitlement so as to avoid substantial bills and debt based on misinformation and confusion.“
Research by the Age Scotland’s Money Matters Project concluded that only 35% of older people have made provisions for their funeral and only 37% had a will.
Figures from the Department for Work and Pensions show that only 61% of applications for funeral expense assistance were successful.
For people seeking support on Power of Attorney, Wills and end of life planning, they can call the Age Scotland’s free helpline on 0800 12 44 222.
