Benefits and debt advice

Support with funeral costs

If you have experienced a bereavement in your immediate family there may be financial help available for funeral costs and to mitigate an ongoing loss of income.

Funeral Support Payment

There is a grant worth up to £1500 to assist with the cost of a funeral if the person organising the funeral is the nearest relative and in receipt of certain benefits.

You can apply up to 6 months following a funeral. If applying after 6 months and the reason is in relation to COVID-19 you can still submit and application. Read more about Funeral Support Payment on the Scottish Government website.

Bereavement Support Payment

This is a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) payment to help if your husband, wife or civil partner has died. You could get a lump sum and a monthly payment for a period after the person’s death.

To claim, call 0800 731 0469 between 9.30am to 3.30pm. 

More information on Bereavement Support Payment can be found on the DWP website.

Tell Us Once

‘Tell Us Once’ is a service that lets you report a death to most government organisations in one go. When you register someone’s death with the registrar, they will explain the Tell Us Once service.

You will need the Tell Us Once reference number, along with other details of the person who has died. If the person who died was claiming benefits, let the service know what they were claiming whether it was from the DWP, HMRC or the local council, Tell Us Once can contact the appropriate service to inform them to stop the benefits.

Find out more about Tell Us Once on the Scottish Government website.

Download the AgeUK booklet with practical information on government matters, funerals, pensions, money and wellbeing. Not all information is relevant to people in Scotland and the booklet may not be accessible.