§ Mr. LevittTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will review the rules governing payments for funeral expenses from the Social Fund to make them easier to understand and to implement. [108439]
§ Angela EagleThe Funeral Payment scheme was revised in April 1997 to make it easier to understand and to increase the level of help available to eligible people. The previous provision was complex, making it difficult for claimants to work out how much was allowable for individual items which were specified in regulations, and this led to inconsistent decision making. Further changes were made in November 1997 and again in January of this year. The latest revision has reduced the complexity of the scheme further by setting out more clearly the arrangements for meeting burial and cremation charges.
Under current legislation, therefore, where an eligible person is deemed to have good reason for taking responsibility for funeral expenses, the scheme allows for the fees levied by the burial authorities and crematoria (in so far as it is necessary to incur them), specified travel expenses and up to £600 for any other funeral expenses. We do not plan any further reforms in the immediate future but will continue to review the policy periodically.