Join our call for better government support with funeral costs, so more people have the space they need to grieve.
#GriefIsHardEnough #FixTheFEP
It’s not uncommon for a funeral with mourners present to cost upwards of £4,000, with nearly 1 in 5 people who pay for a funeral experiencing ‘notable financial concerns’. People are going deep into debt and cutting back on essentials like food – all to try and afford a funeral for their family member or friend.
The Funeral Expenses Payment (FEP) from the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) is a vital source of financial support for many bereaved people in England and Wales, but thousands are denied a payment each year because of restrictive eligibility criteria that don’t reflect real life.
We are calling on the Government to change this – can you help us?
email your mp
What needs to change?
You can apply for the FEP if you are in receipt of a ‘qualifying benefit’. This can be any income-related benefit, including Universal Credit.
But if there is a relative of the person who died who does not receive a ‘qualifying benefit’, your application could be rejected. The DWP will often declare that that other relative should pay for the funeral.
The fact you are the most natural person in the family to deal with the funeral and the costs, may not make any difference.
Meanwhile, if the person who died lived with a partner, the DWP will expect them to take care of the funeral. Anyone else’s application will be rejected.
In both scenarios, the DWP declares that someone else should take responsibility for the funeral, without assessing whether that person is able or willing to do so. For example:
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The partner or relative may have health difficulties, including addiction.
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There may have been domestic abuse between the partner and the person who died.
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There may be complex family dynamics that don't fit into neat boxes.
Meanwhile, you are left without the FEP and with a funeral to pay for.
How you can help
It doesn’t have to be this way.
Scotland has a different payment, the Funeral Support Payment, and because the rules are less restrictive, it is estimated that 40% more people can access it. We are calling on the Government to bring the FEP in line with Scotland’s payment.
Join us by writing to your MP.
Maybe you have been affected by the FEP’s unrealistic rules. If you have, sharing your story is a powerful way of engaging your MP.
Email your MP (England and Wales)
Enter your postcode on the parliament website to find your MP's email address. It should be there, but in the rare case that it's not, email us at downtoearth@qsa.org.uk.
- Use our template email below as a starting point.
- Take 30 seconds to let us know you have emailed your MP - submit the form at the bottom of this screen. This really helps the campaign, as we can map which MPs have been contacted.
- If you get a response from your MP, email us at downtoearth@qsa.org.uk to let us know!
What to write
You can copy and paste our template email below.
Personalised messages are even more powerful – feel free to take a moment to add to the template with why it’s important to you that more people can access the FEP. For example:
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Share any experience you have of being denied the FEP despite receiving an income-related benefit. Explain why you feel it wasn't appropriate for the DWP rules to say that another person should take care of the funeral. Briefly share your experience of trying to pay for the funeral and describe any impact this had on you. You could also consider asking your MP to meet with you.
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If you haven't had this experience but you know or support people who have – let your MP know. There might be other reasons why the issue is important to you – perhaps you understand how difficult bereavement is – again, do share this with your MP!
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Keep it polite and brief. MPs are very busy and are much less likely to respond if emails are rude or very long.
Email template
Dear [MP’s full name]
I am one of your constituents and I am contacting you about the Funeral Expenses Payment (FEP), a DWP payment that some people in receipt of income-related benefits can access to help pay for funeral costs.
The FEP eligibility criteria are very narrow, excluding thousands of bereaved people and causing a lot of stress at an already difficult time. It doesn't have to be this way though. Scotland's Funeral Support Payment is less restrictive and it's estimated that 40% more people can access it.
The charity Quaker Social Action (QSA) are calling for the FEP criteria to be aligned with Scotland's system through their campaign Grief is hard enough: Fix the FEP. You can find a briefing paper and videos of people's experiences on their campaign page. Will you join me in supporting QSA's campaign?
Please could you write to the Minister for Pensions, Torsten Bell MP, asking him to review the FEP eligibility criteria and to meet with QSA to discuss their proposal. QSA have produced a template letter for ease.
Yours faithfully,
[Your full name & address]
Arrange a meeting with your MP
Meeting your MP face-to-face and sharing your story is the single most impactful thing you can do to engage them. You won’t have to go to Westminster, it would take place in your area. We're here to help - download our toolkit to find out more.
Download our toolkit for meeting your MP
Want to learn more about the Funeral Expenses Payment (FEP) and why we’re taking action? Download our briefing.
Share the campaign on social media using the hashtags:
#GriefIsHardEnough #FixTheFEP