Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress he has made with respect to paragraph 17 of the Second Special Report of Session 2016-17 of the Work and Pensions Committee, Support for the bereaved: Government response to the Committee’s Ninth Report of Session 2015-16, HC230.

We are committed to working with stakeholders to improve the scheme, and recently carried out reforms to the Social Fund Funeral Expenses Regulations, to clarify eligibility and simplify the application process. The formal government response can be accessed here, these regulations will come into force from spring 2018.

Funeral Expenses Payments continue to cover the necessary costs involved with funerals and cremations, and up to £700 for other funeral expenses. The funding offered from both Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payments and Social Fund Budgeting Loans offers an adequate level of support whilst maintaining a fiscally viable fund.