Government support for funeral costs should make things easier for bereaved people, not harder. Its restrictive rules need to change.
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 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.
"I felt numb in a way because you put off that grieving process and you deal with, like, the finance side of it." - Susan
It doesn’t have to be this way. Scotland’s payment is less restrictive meaning that 40% more people can access it.
Down to Earth’s new campaign Grief is Hard Enough: Fix the FEP calls on the government to align the criteria with Scotland's payment.
Support our call for change by writing to your MP and sharing the campaign on social media: visit our campaign page to find out more.
Grief is hard enough. It's time to Fix the FEP.