§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what savings he estimates will be made in one year as a result of the abolition of the death grant and the introduction of help with funeral expenses under the social fund.
§ Mr. NewtonThe financial effect of replacing the death grant and supplementary benefit single payments for funeral expenses with help under the social fund will depend on a number of factors, including local funeral 317W prices and the extent of recovery from estates under the new scheme, and reliable estimates of the net effect are not available.