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100116

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Funeral Payments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications have been made to the Government Funeral Payment scheme since May 2010; and how many such applications have been rejected.
	tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
	tabling member printed	Steve Rotheram
	uin	211293
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2014 answer text <p>From the latest data available, 280,780 applications have been made for Funeral Payments in Great Britain between May 2010 and September 2014. In the same period there have been 139,560 refusals.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Notes</strong></p><p> </p><p>1. These figures do not include applications which were processed clerically and have not yet been entered on to the Social Fund Computer System.</p><p> </p><p>2. The figures given are the number of applications and initial refusals in the given time period and not the number of people who made applications or received awards. An individual may make more than one application in a year. Information on the number of people who made applications and received awards is not available.</p><p> </p><p>3. The refusal figures given are based on the initial decisions made on each case and may include cases where an award was later made on review.</p><p> </p><p>4. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 24/10/2014 13:48:18 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	4035 label Biography information for Steve Rotheram

100539

	registered interest
	date	22/10/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Funeral Payments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications were made to the Social Fund to cover the cost of funerals in each year since 2010; and how many of those applications were rejected.
	tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
	tabling member printed	Steve Rotheram
	uin	211468
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p /> <p>From the latest data available, 305,840 applications have been made for Funeral Payments in Great Britain between January 2010 and September 2014, the latest data available. In the same period there have been 151,620 refusals.</p><p> </p><p>Table 1 below shows the number of applications and refusals for each year. Note that 2014 data only extends to September thus far.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>2014 (Jan-Sep)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Applications</p></td><td><p>66,780</p></td><td><p>70,990</p></td><td><p>66,390</p></td><td><p>62,200</p></td><td><p>39,470</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Refusals</p></td><td><p>33,350</p></td><td><p>36,330</p></td><td><p>34,540</p></td><td><p>29,200</p></td><td><p>18,190</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Notes</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>1. These figures do not include applications which were processed clerically and have not yet been entered on to the Social Fund Computer System.</p><p> </p><p>2. The figures given are the number of applications and initial refusals in the given time period and not the number of people who made applications or received awards. An individual may make more than one application in a year. Information on the number of people who made applications and received awards is not available.</p><p>.</p><p>3. The refusal figures given are based on the initial decisions made on each case and may include cases where an award was later made on review.</p><p> </p><p>4. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 27/10/2014 13:57:49 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	4035 label Biography information for Steve Rotheram

1005853

	registered interest
	date	12/11/2018
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Funeral Payments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her Department's policy is on supporting benefit claimants who must pay for the funeral of a family member; and if her Department will introduce an allowance for benefit claimants who must pay for the funeral of a family member to ensure that their benefit claims are not adversely affected.
	tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
	tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
	uin	190493
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2018 answer text <p>The Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payment scheme makes a contribution towards the cost of a funeral for people in receipt of certain income related benefits and tax credits. To qualify, the applicant must be accepted as responsible for arranging the funeral, they (or their partner) must receive one of the qualifying benefits and they must be the partner or a close relative or close friend of the deceased.</p><p> </p><p>The amount payable depends on whether there is any other money available, for example from the deceased’s estate. As the Payment is linked to the deceased’s assets, it does not adversely affect the applicant’s savings.</p><p> </p><p>The scheme offers support by meeting the ‘necessary costs’ of a cremation or burial, including acquiring a burial plot. An allowance of up to £700 is also available to meet other funeral costs such as a coffin, religious venue and funeral director fees.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 15/11/2018 09:55:33 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1128289

	registered interest
	date	22/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Funeral Payments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many funeral expenses payment awards were made in 2018-19; and (ii) what the value of those payments was.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow South
	tabling member printed	Stewart Malcolm McDonald
	uin	257550
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/06/2019 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>The number and gross expenditure of Funeral Expenses Payment awards, in Great Britain, is reported annually in Appendix 1 of the Social Fund Annual Report:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-fund-annual-report-2017-to-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-fund-annual-report-2017-to-2018</a></p><p>The information requested for 2018/19 will be published in due course, and so cannot be released ahead of publication.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 05/06/2019 13:05:33 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4461 label Biography information for Stewart Malcolm McDonald

167384

	registered interest
	date	02/12/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Funeral Payments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to review the process for applying for funeral payments.
	tabling member constituency	Bedford
	tabling member printed	Richard Fuller
	uin	216782
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>We are currently taking steps to improve the scheme and will continue to monitor its effectiveness.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 08/12/2014 12:54:59 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	3912 label Biography information for Richard Fuller

170139

	registered interest
	date	12/12/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Funeral Payments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December 2014 to Question 216782, what steps his Department is taking to improve the administration process for funeral payments.
	tabling member constituency	South Shields
	tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
	uin	218572
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>We are currently taking steps to improve the scheme and will continue to monitor its effectiveness so that it continues to meet its aim of providing a contribution towards the cost of a funeral. For example staff are working with the Bereavement Service, the main conduit of initial applications, to ensure where possible they collect all the required evidence and information at the earliest possible juncture, smoothing and improving the process for claimants. On-going improvements such as this ensure claims are dealt with in a timely and consistent manner and are in the best interests of those needing the scheme’s support.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 16/12/2014 12:41:43 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

170554

	registered interest
	date	15/12/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Funeral Payments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what is the average time taken to process an application for funeral expenses from the Social Fund from application submission to decision in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales, (d) England, (e) Northern Ireland in each of the last four years for which figures are available.
	tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
	tabling member printed	Pamela Nash
	uin	218763
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p>The average number of working days taken to process applications for funeral payments in England, Scotland, Wales and Great Britain are set out for each of the last four financial years in Table 1 below.</p><p> </p><p>Information regarding funeral payments for Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland office.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Table 1: Average working days taken to process applications for funeral payments in </strong><strong>England</strong><strong>, </strong><strong>Scotland</strong><strong>, </strong><strong>Wales</strong><strong> and Great Britain, 2010/11 to 2013/14</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td rowspan="2"> </td><td colspan="4"><p><strong>Financial Year</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2010/11</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2011/12</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2012/13</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013/14</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>England</strong></p></td><td><p>14.8</p></td><td><p>13.7</p></td><td><p>14.6</p></td><td><p>18.3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Scotland</strong></p></td><td><p>13.9</p></td><td><p>14.5</p></td><td><p>14.4</p></td><td><p>19</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Wales</strong></p></td><td><p>11.6</p></td><td><p>12.8</p></td><td><p>16.9</p></td><td><p>19.5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Great Britain</strong></p></td><td><p>14.5</p></td><td><p>13.8</p></td><td><p>14.7</p></td><td><p>18.4</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>For additional context, the average monthly clearance times between April 2014 and November 2014 are given in Table 2. As these figures are based on a shorter time frame and Funeral Payment applications vary throughout the year; please note that these figures are not directly comparable to those in Table 1.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Table 2: Average number of working days taken to process applications for funeral payments in </strong><strong>England</strong><strong>, </strong><strong>Scotland</strong><strong>, </strong><strong>Wales</strong><strong> and </strong><strong>Great Britain</strong><strong>, by month, April 2014 to November 2014</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Month</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>England</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Wales</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Scotland</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Great Britain</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr-14</p></td><td><p>21.4</p></td><td><p>22.9</p></td><td><p>20.9</p></td><td><p>21.4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May-14</p></td><td><p>22.7</p></td><td><p>23.7</p></td><td><p>20.5</p></td><td><p>22.6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jun-14</p></td><td><p>21.3</p></td><td><p>23.4</p></td><td><p>20.2</p></td><td><p>21.3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul-14</p></td><td><p>17.3</p></td><td><p>18.7</p></td><td><p>14.9</p></td><td><p>17.1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Aug-14</p></td><td><p>17.0</p></td><td><p>16.5</p></td><td><p>13.1</p></td><td><p>16.5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sep-14</p></td><td><p>18.4</p></td><td><p>18.0</p></td><td><p>15.0</p></td><td><p>17.9</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct-14</p></td><td><p>19.7</p></td><td><p>25.2</p></td><td><p>13.2</p></td><td><p>19.2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Nov-14</p></td><td><p>13.2</p></td><td><p>14.1</p></td><td><p>17.1</p></td><td><p>13.7</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Apr-14 to Nov-14</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>19.0</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>20.3</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>16.9</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>18.8</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Notes</strong></p><p> </p><p>· These figures do not include applications which were processed clerically and have not been entered on to the Social Fund Computer System.</p><p>· The clearance time for funeral payment applications is measured in whole working days from the date the application is received until the date the decision is taken.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 18/12/2014 17:07:57 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	3909 label Biography information for Pamela Nash

171916

	registered interest
	date	05/01/2015
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Funeral Payments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason the amount granted in Social Fund funeral payments has not risen for more than 10 years.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
	tabling member printed	Mr Roger Godsiff
	uin	219706
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/01/2015 answer text <p /> <p>We are conscious of the rise in burial and cremation fees. That is why the Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payment covers specified necessary costs. As these have increased in time, so has that portion of the overall Social Fund Funeral Payment. As such, the Government has protected these payments. The Social Fund Funeral Payment scheme continues to provide help towards a simple, respectful, low-cost funeral and the average funeral expenses payment in 2002/03 was £929 rising in 2013/14 to £1,347.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>This Government has also extended the Social Fund Budgeting Loans scheme so that these are also available to those on income related benefits to help towards the costs relating to funeral expenses.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 12/01/2015 12:32:25 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	304 label Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff

173486

	registered interest
	date	13/01/2015
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Funeral Payments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2014 to Question 216270, whether the average payment made by the Social Fund Funeral Payment scheme is intended to cover the whole cost of a simple, respectful, low-cost funeral; by what methodology he has assessed the total cost of such a funeral; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	220516
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/01/2015 answer text <p /> <p>The Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payment has from its creation, as the claim form and guidance makes clear, provided help towards the cost of funerals for eligible claimants. This includes those necessary costs of burial or cremation, which will be met in full and a significant contribution of up to £700 towards other costs.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 20/01/2015 12:14:04 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

176596

	registered interest
	date	28/01/2015
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Funeral Payments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have received funeral payments in (a) England, (b) London and (c) Enfield in each of the last 10 years; how much those payments amount to; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Edmonton
	tabling member printed	Mr Andrew Love
	uin	222358
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2015 answer text <p>Tables 1 and 2 show the number of Funeral Payment awards and expenditure amount in England, London and North and North East London Budget Area between 2004/05 and 2013/14.</p><p> </p><p>DWP does not hold information about the number of people receiving Funeral Payment awards in a given time period. The number of awards made in each year is not equal to the number of people who received awards as an individual may have made multiple applications in that period.</p><p> </p><p>The lowest geographical level at which we hold Funeral Payment data is by Social Fund Budget Area; the geographical areas used to administer the Social Fund in Great Britain. Since 2008/09, the Budget Area covering Enfield is North and North East London, which also covers Waltham Forest and Barking and Dagenham as well as parts of Barnet, Hackney, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Islington and Redbridge. Earlier figures for this area are not available.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Table 1: Funeral Payment awards in </strong><strong>England</strong><strong>, </strong><strong>London</strong><strong> and North and North </strong><strong>East London</strong><strong>, 2004/05 to 2013/14</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>England</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>London</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>North and North<br> </strong><strong>East London</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2004/05</strong></p></td><td><p>34,700</p></td><td><p>4,800</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2005/06</strong></p></td><td><p>33,400</p></td><td><p>4,500</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2006/07</strong></p></td><td><p>32,700</p></td><td><p>4,300</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2007/08</strong></p></td><td><p>31,300</p></td><td><p>4,100</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2008/09</strong></p></td><td><p>32,500</p></td><td><p>4,200</p></td><td><p>800</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2009/10</strong></p></td><td><p>31,200</p></td><td><p>4,400</p></td><td><p>800</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2010/11</strong></p></td><td><p>30,500</p></td><td><p>3,800</p></td><td><p>800</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2011/12</strong></p></td><td><p>30,200</p></td><td><p>3,900</p></td><td><p>800</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2012/13</strong></p></td><td><p>28,000</p></td><td><p>3,600</p></td><td><p>900</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2013/14</strong></p></td><td><p>26,600</p></td><td><p>3,500</p></td><td><p>800</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Source: DWP Policy, Budget and Management Information System</p><p><strong><br> </strong></p><p><strong>Table 2: Funeral Payment expenditure in </strong><strong>England</strong><strong>, </strong><strong>London</strong><strong> and North and North </strong><strong>East London</strong><strong>, 2004/05 to 2013/14</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>England</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>London</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>North and North<br> </strong><strong>East London</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2004/05</strong></p></td><td><p>£36,925,100</p></td><td><p>£5,961,200</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2005/06</strong></p></td><td><p>£36,643,600</p></td><td><p>£5,819,400</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2006/07</strong></p></td><td><p>£37,148,000</p></td><td><p>£5,814,900</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2007/08</strong></p></td><td><p>£36,987,600</p></td><td><p>£5,959,300</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2008/09</strong></p></td><td><p>£39,495,800</p></td><td><p>£6,511,000</p></td><td><p>£1,260,500</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2009/10</strong></p></td><td><p>£38,410,300</p></td><td><p>£6,769,600</p></td><td><p>£1,274,400</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2010/11</strong></p></td><td><p>£37,445,800</p></td><td><p>£5,879,700</p></td><td><p>£1,294,800</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2011/12</strong></p></td><td><p>£37,723,000</p></td><td><p>£6,226,400</p></td><td><p>£1,347,300</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2012/13</strong></p></td><td><p>£34,617,200</p></td><td><p>£5,590,100</p></td><td><p>£1,390,800</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2013/14</strong></p></td><td><p>£36,185,500</p></td><td><p>£5,979,600</p></td><td><p>£1,429,500</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Source: DWP Policy, Budget and Management Information System</p><p> </p><p><strong>Notes</strong></p><p> </p><p>· These figures do not include applications which were processed clerically and have not been entered on to the Social Fund Computer System.</p><p>· All figures are rounded to the nearest £100.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 04/02/2015 11:49:46 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	164 label Biography information for Mr Andrew Love