Bereaved families in Edinburgh will soon have greater financial support when planning their loved ones’ funerals, as the Scottish Government recently announced an increase to its Funeral Support Payment.
The Funeral Support Payment covers burial and cremation fees in full, however, a discretionary fund called ‘other expenses’ must cover several costs, including funeral director fees, celebrant’s fees, flowers and the cost of purchasing a coffin.
For the first time since 2003, the Funeral Support Payment for ‘other expenses’ will increase from £700 to £1000 from 1st April this year, supporting thousands of Scottish families at their time of need.
Funeral costs have been shown to have a disproportionate impact on low income consumers across the UK, with funeral costs potentially accounting for over a third of the annual expenditure of those on the lowest incomes.
Although inflationary increases to the £700 payment were scheduled to commence in Scotland from this year, the previous £700 cap equates to over £1,100 in today’s prices.
Since funeral costs have risen since 2003, the real value of the benefit for families in need has reduced by 35 per cent. In 2016, evidence was presented to a Scottish Government consultation that calculated that the benefit would need to increase to £1,500 to fully cover the costs incurred by the majority of Scottish families.
Welcoming the announcement, Edinburgh Funeral Director, Mark Porteous, Company Director at Porteous Funeral Directors, said: “There are many people in our community who rely on the Funeral Support Payment, and we are thrilled that the benefit has increased for bereaved families in Edinburgh.
“This benefit makes a real difference to bereaved families, and the increased payment will further enable them to have a dignified ceremony for a loved one. We view Funeral Support Payment funerals as a commitment to our community, and the increased payment will help keep these services viable for years to come.”
Porteous Funeral Directors has multiple locations across Edinburgh, including those that have been identified as the most deprived: Great Junction Street, Leith, Moredun and Craigour, Bingham, Magdalene and The Christians, Muirhouse, Restalrig and Lochend, Niddrie.
The Scottish Government’s announcement follows a similar commitment from Westminster to increase the funeral benefit in England and Wales from £700 to £1000. However, the Scottish Government has gone one step further in stating that the increase will be uprated, which will see the value rise year-on-year to allow for inflating funeral costs.
Gordon Swan, Director of Communications at leading funeral plan provider Golden Charter, added: “Golden Charter has been calling for an increase in Funeral Support Payments for some time, recognising that the benefit set in 2003 has gradually fallen well below the costs faced by families who have lost a love one.
“As a Scottish-based company, we know the positive impact this increase will bring to families at a very difficult time.
“We provide funeral planning services across the whole of the UK, and would like to see the Department of Work and Pensions also uprate this important benefit, extending the future security offered by that commitment to all bereaved families across the UK.”
It is anticipated that up to 5,000 Scottish families will benefit from this enhanced benefit each year.
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