Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that funerals are affordable.

As the funeral sector is subject to consumer regulation and many crematoriums and burial plots are the responsibility of local authorities my department cannot influence funeral costs. However, it does operate the Social Fund Funeral Payment scheme which continues to provide help towards a simple, respectful, low-cost funeral for those who are eligible. In 2013/14, over 33,000 awards were made worth £44.4 million, with an average award of £1,347.

This Government has extended the Budgeting Loan provision to include funeral expenses. This helps where a deposit is required up front, or towards the balance of costs that a Social Fund Funeral Payment cannot meet.

This Government has also introduced the measure whereby any arrears of benefit, which were due to the deceased at date of death, are disregarded. This means that such arrears are no longer deducted from the Funeral Payment award.