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514830

registered interest
date	21/04/2016
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 he has considered measures to expedite the current five to six week processing time for applications to the Department for Work and Pensions Funeral Fund; and what the target processing time is for applications to that Fund.
tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
tabling member printed	Alan Brown
uin	35018
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2016 answer text <p>If all the necessary information is received with the Funeral Expenses Payments claim form the application is processed straight away. The department is committed to ensuring that communications on eligibility for Funeral Payments are improved. This will in turn help claims to be processed and decisions to be made more quickly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>For 2016/17 DWP aims to clear Funeral Expenses Payments claims within 15 working days. In 2014/15 of the 51,000 applications, over 55% were cleared within target; and over 69% cleared within 21 working days.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 26/04/2016 14:44:39 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

511483

registered interest
date	12/04/2016
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 steps his Department is tacking to tackle funeral poverty in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Pontypridd
tabling member printed	Owen Smith
uin	33700
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2016 answer text <p>This department supports people with help on funeral expenses through the Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payments scheme, which provides help towards the cost of a simple funeral for people claiming eligible benefits.</p><p>We are considering the recent Work and Pensions Select Committee report on support for the bereaved and will respond in due course.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 18/04/2016 16:23:32 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4042 label Biography information for Owen Smith

448759

registered interest
date	28/01/2016
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 for Social Fund funerals were made in each year between 2010 and 2015; how many such applications were refused; and what the (a) budget and (b) lowest payment made was.
tabling member constituency	South Shields
tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
uin	24696
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/02/2016 answer text <p>Table 1 shows the number of applications for Funeral Expenses Payments which were made and the number refused in the financial years 2010/11 to 2014/15.</p><p><strong>Table 1</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Applications (000)</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Initial Refusals (000)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2010/11</strong></p></td><td><p>69</p></td><td><p>34</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2011/12</strong></p></td><td><p>69</p></td><td><p>36</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2012/13</strong></p></td><td><p>66</p></td><td><p>34</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2013/14</strong></p></td><td><p>59</p></td><td><p>27</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2014/15</strong></p></td><td><p>51</p></td><td><p>24</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Data sourced from the DWP policy, Budget and Management Information System and is published in the Annual Report by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the Social Fund for the relevant year.</p><p>The budget for the Social Fund, Funeral Expenses Payment (FEP) expenditure is demand-led. Legislation prescribes that payments are made to all eligible applicants. That is people responsible for arranging a funeral who meet the rules on relationships with the deceased and receive a qualifying benefit. Provision for FEPs is made by central Government through the supply estimate process, but these figures are not translated into an operational budget and do not impact eligibility or award amounts.</p><p>In a minority of cases funeral expense payments are subsequently recovered from the deceased’s estate and in these cases the net amount can be very small. Given the small numbers involved it is not appropriate to release figures as there is a risk of identifying individuals.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 05/02/2016 11:41:04 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

443702

registered interest
date	11/01/2016
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 he has any plans to change the social fund funeral payment in the next 12 months.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	21875
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/01/2016 answer text <p>The Government continually looks to improve its service. For example, in 2015 informal discussions have already taken place with stakeholders, including the National Association of Funeral Directors, representatives from life assurance companies, academics and advice services on possible improvements. These discussions carry on and there is a current focus on how to improve information on eligibility.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 14/01/2016 15:27:20 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

433297

registered interest
date	30/11/2015
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, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Funeral Payment provision for funeral expenses.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	18149
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2015 answer text <p>The Social Fund Funeral Payment scheme continues to provide valuable help towards the cost of a funeral for people in receipt of a qualifying benefit. My department continually reviews the scheme to improve and streamline it.</p><br /><p>Funeral Expenses Payments are made to all applicants who satisfy the eligibility criteria. Awards cover the full necessary costs involved with either burial or cremation and up to £700 for other funeral expenses. In 2014/15 over 32,000 awards were made to people in Great Britain. These payments were worth £44 million, with an average award of £1,375. The average award has increased by 27% since 2006.</p><br /><p>Social Fund Budgeting Loans are also available to help with funeral expenses for people who have been in receipt of a qualifying benefit for at least 26 weeks.</p><br /> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 03/12/2015 14:37:54 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

421214

registered interest
date	13/10/2015
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, what support his Department is giving to people on low incomes who are unable to cover the costs of a funeral deposit.
tabling member constituency	Rochdale
tabling member printed	Simon Danczuk
uin	11552
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2015 answer text <p>I believe it is important that help is available to people on low incomes when they face moments of unforeseeable and exceptional need. For this reason, the Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payments scheme provides help to people on qualifying benefits with funeral costs.</p><p>Social Fund Budgeting Loans, which can be made to people who have been in receipt of a qualifying benefit for at least 26 weeks, are also available to support people with funeral costs. Budgeting Loans can be made irrespective of whether the applicant has claimed or is entitled to a Funeral Expenses Payment, and can therefore help where a deposit is required up front.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 19/10/2015 14:58:02 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4059 label Biography information for Simon Danczuk

420370

registered interest
date	09/10/2015
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 applications for funeral payments were (a) made and (b) granted in each region in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12, (iii) 2012-13, (iv) 2013-14 and (v) 2014-15; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	11102
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2015 answer text <p>Tables 1 and 2 give the number of the Funeral Expense Payment applications received and awards made by the Department for Work and Pensions by region from 2010/11 to 2014/15.</p><p><strong>Table 1: Funeral Expense Payment applications received by region, 2010/11 to 2014/15</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Region</p></td><td><p>2010/11</p></td><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>2014/15</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>East of England</p></td><td><p>4,200</p></td><td><p>4,800</p></td><td><p>4,700</p></td><td><p>4,100</p></td><td><p>3,500</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>East Midlands</p></td><td><p>8,400</p></td><td><p>4,600</p></td><td><p>4,500</p></td><td><p>4,000</p></td><td><p>3,200</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>London</p></td><td><p>6,800</p></td><td><p>6,900</p></td><td><p>6,700</p></td><td><p>6,500</p></td><td><p>5,800</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North East</p></td><td><p>4,400</p></td><td><p>4,700</p></td><td><p>4,200</p></td><td><p>3,600</p></td><td><p>3,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North West</p></td><td><p>10,600</p></td><td><p>10,400</p></td><td><p>10,300</p></td><td><p>9,200</p></td><td><p>8,100</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Scotland</p></td><td><p>8,300</p></td><td><p>8,500</p></td><td><p>8,000</p></td><td><p>7,400</p></td><td><p>6,300</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South East</p></td><td><p>6,200</p></td><td><p>6,400</p></td><td><p>5,700</p></td><td><p>5,200</p></td><td><p>4,400</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South West</p></td><td><p>4,000</p></td><td><p>4,300</p></td><td><p>4,200</p></td><td><p>4,000</p></td><td><p>3,100</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Wales</p></td><td><p>4,300</p></td><td><p>4,300</p></td><td><p>4,400</p></td><td><p>3,700</p></td><td><p>3,500</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>West Midlands</p></td><td><p>7,200</p></td><td><p>6,800</p></td><td><p>6,600</p></td><td><p>6,000</p></td><td><p>4,900</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Yorkshire and Humberside</p></td><td><p>4,300</p></td><td><p>6,700</p></td><td><p>6,400</p></td><td><p>5,500</p></td><td><p>4,900</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p>68,800</p></td><td><p>68,500</p></td><td><p>65,600</p></td><td><p>59,100</p></td><td><p>50,600</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong>Table 2: Funeral Expense Payment awards made by region, 2010/11 to 2014/15</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Region</p></td><td><p>2010/11</p></td><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>2014/15</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>East of England</p></td><td><p>2,500</p></td><td><p>2,600</p></td><td><p>2,500</p></td><td><p>2,200</p></td><td><p>2,200</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>East Midlands</p></td><td><p>4,200</p></td><td><p>2,500</p></td><td><p>2,300</p></td><td><p>2,200</p></td><td><p>2,100</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>London</p></td><td><p>3,800</p></td><td><p>3,900</p></td><td><p>3,600</p></td><td><p>3,500</p></td><td><p>3,600</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North East</p></td><td><p>2,400</p></td><td><p>2,400</p></td><td><p>2,100</p></td><td><p>1,900</p></td><td><p>2,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North West</p></td><td><p>6,100</p></td><td><p>6,100</p></td><td><p>5,700</p></td><td><p>5,300</p></td><td><p>5,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Scotland</p></td><td><p>5,100</p></td><td><p>5,000</p></td><td><p>4,800</p></td><td><p>4,400</p></td><td><p>4,300</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South East</p></td><td><p>3,100</p></td><td><p>2,900</p></td><td><p>2,500</p></td><td><p>2,700</p></td><td><p>2,700</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South West</p></td><td><p>1,800</p></td><td><p>2,300</p></td><td><p>2,100</p></td><td><p>2,100</p></td><td><p>1,900</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Wales</p></td><td><p>2,600</p></td><td><p>2,400</p></td><td><p>2,400</p></td><td><p>2,200</p></td><td><p>2,200</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>West Midlands</p></td><td><p>4,100</p></td><td><p>3,800</p></td><td><p>3,700</p></td><td><p>3,300</p></td><td><p>3,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Yorkshire and Humberside</p></td><td><p>2,500</p></td><td><p>3,600</p></td><td><p>3,500</p></td><td><p>3,300</p></td><td><p>3,200</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p>38,200</p></td><td><p>37,700</p></td><td><p>35,200</p></td><td><p>33,100</p></td><td><p>32,100</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Notes:</p><ul><li>All figures are rounded to the nearest 100.</li></ul><ul><li>Figures may not sum due to rounding.</li></ul><ul><li>The applications figures are based on applications received by DWP, not applications processed. Some applications may have been withdrawn before a decision was made.</li></ul><ul><li>The award figures include awards made after review, reconsideration or appeal following an initial refusal.</li></ul><ul><li>These figures do not include cases which have been processed clerically and have not been entered on to the Social Fund Computer System.</li></ul> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 14/10/2015 15:24:12 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

416623

registered interest
date	04/09/2015
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, what the budget for the Social Fund Funeral Payment scheme has been in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	8539
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2015 answer text <p /> <p>Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payments are made to all applicants who satisfy the eligibility criteria. Expenditure in the last five years was as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Expenditure</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014/15</p></td><td><p>£44.2m</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>£44.7m</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>£43.1m</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>£46.7m</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010/11</p></td><td><p>£46.5m</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><em>Source: DWP Policy, Budget and Management Information System</em></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 14/09/2015 14:31:36 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

385167

registered interest
date	23/06/2015
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 in each benefit delivery area (a) applied for and (b) received funeral payments in 2014.
tabling member constituency	Preston
tabling member printed	Mr Mark Hendrick
uin	3868
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2015 answer text <p>The Table shows the number of Funeral Payment applications and awards over the 2014 calendar year broken down by Social Fund Budget Area.</p><p> </p><p>The DWP holds information on the number of applications received and awards made. Some people may have made more than one application in which case each application and any subsequent award would be counted separately in the table.</p><p> </p><p>National figures for Funeral Payments are published in the Annual Report by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the Social Fund.</p><p> </p><p>Table. Number of applications and awards made for Funeral Payments over the 2014 calendar year, broken down by Social Fund Budget Area</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Jobcentre Plus Social Fund Budget Area<br> by region</p></td><td><p>Applications <br> (thousands)</p></td><td><p>Awards <br> (thousands)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>East of England</p></td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>Essex</p></td><td><p>1.2</p></td><td><p>0.7</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Norwich Benefit Delivery Centre</p></td><td><p>2.5</p></td><td><p>1.4</p></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>East Midlands</p></td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>East Midlands North</p></td><td><p>1.5</p></td><td><p>1.0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South East Midlands</p></td><td><p>2.0</p></td><td><p>1.2</p></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>London</p></td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>Central and East London</p></td><td><p>1.3</p></td><td><p>0.8</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>London South</p></td><td><p>2.4</p></td><td><p>1.4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North and North East London</p></td><td><p>1.4</p></td><td><p>0.8</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>West London</p></td><td><p>1.0</p></td><td><p>0.6</p></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>North East</p></td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>Northumbria</p></td><td><p>1.1</p></td><td><p>0.7</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South Tyne and Wear Valley</p></td><td><p>1.2</p></td><td><p>0.7</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Tees Valley</p></td><td><p>0.8</p></td><td><p>0.5</p></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>North West</p></td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>Chorlton Benefit Delivery Centre</p></td><td><p>5.0</p></td><td><p>2.9</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Greater Liverpool and Cheshire</p></td><td><p>3.3</p></td><td><p>2.0</p></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>Scotland</p></td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>Inverness Benefit Delivery Centre</p></td><td><p>1.9</p></td><td><p>1.2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Springburn Benefit Delivery Centre</p></td><td><p>4.5</p></td><td><p>3.0</p></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>South East</p></td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>South East - Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Surrey</p></td><td><p>1.3</p></td><td><p>0.8</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South East – Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent and Sussex</p></td><td><p>3.3</p></td><td><p>2.0</p></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>South West</p></td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>South West Central</p></td><td><p>3.4</p></td><td><p>2.0</p></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>Wales</p></td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>Llanelli Benefit Delivery Centre</p></td><td><p>1.1</p></td><td><p>0.7</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South East Wales</p></td><td><p>2.2</p></td><td><p>1.4</p></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>West Midlands</p></td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>West Midlands Social Fund</p></td><td><p>5.2</p></td><td><p>3.2</p></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>Yorkshire and Humberside</p></td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>Yorkshire &amp; Humberside Bradford</p></td><td><p>1.4</p></td><td><p>0.9</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Yorkshire &amp; Humberside Sheffield</p></td><td><p>3.6</p></td><td><p>2.3</p></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>Total in GB</p></td><td><p>52.5</p></td><td><p>32.3</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Source: DWP Policy, Budget and Management Information System</p><p> </p><p>Notes</p><p>· Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred and are given in thousands</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 29/06/2015 13:12:55 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick