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1131838

registered interest
date	12/06/2019
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	Funerals: Costs
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 7 May 2019 to Question 249851, what steps her Department takes to (a) make funerals accessible to everyone and (b) co-ordinate actions between the various bodies listed to ensure they are making funerals accessible to everyone.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	263674
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2019 answer text <p>The Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payments provides a significant contribution towards funeral costs for claimants on qualifying benefits. It continues to meet the necessary costs of a cremation or burial and up to £700 towards other costs. In 2017-18 around 25,500 Funeral Expenses Payment awards were made. This amounted to £37.1 million of support for funeral costs. Interest-free Social Fund Budgeting Loans and Universal Credit Budgeting Advances are now also available to assist with funeral costs.</p><p> </p><p>The Department holds regular discussions with funeral providers and related organisations, including a Ministerial Roundtable on 18th June 2019 to discuss the Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payments scheme and listen to views for suggested future improvements.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 21/06/2019 12:07:19 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1124358

registered interest
date	01/05/2019
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	Funerals: Costs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the number of families were unable to afford the funeral of family member in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	249851
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>No such assessment has been made.</p><p> </p><p>Funeral poverty is not just an issue for Government. Providers of funeral services, including the church, funeral directors, local authorities and owners of crematoriums, all have a role to play in ensuring funerals are accessible for everyone.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/05/2019 13:53:59 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

937885

registered interest
date	10/07/2018
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	Funerals: Costs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the average cost of a funeral in each year since 2003.
tabling member constituency	Chesterfield
tabling member printed	Toby Perkins
uin	162525
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/07/2018 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions does not produce estimates for the average cost of a funeral.</p><p> </p><p>The average Funeral Expenses Payment (FEP) made in each year is published in the Social Fund Annual Report. Table 1 below provides the average FEP made in each year since 2003/04. Figures are rounded to the nearest £1.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Table 1: Average FEP award, 2003/04 – 2017/18</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Average FEP award</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2003/04</p></td><td><p>£1,019</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2004/05</p></td><td><p>£1,051</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2005/06</p></td><td><p>£1,081</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006/07</p></td><td><p>£1,117</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007/08</p></td><td><p>£1,162</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008/09</p></td><td><p>£1,194</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009/10</p></td><td><p>£1,208</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010/11</p></td><td><p>£1,217</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>£1,241</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>£1,225</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>£1,347</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014/15</p></td><td><p>£1,375</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015/16</p></td><td><p>£1,410</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016/17</p></td><td><p>£1,427</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>£1,461</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Source: Social Fund Annual Reports 2003/04 – 2016/17, Social Fund Policy Budget and Management Information System</p><p> </p><p>Notes</p><p> </p><ol><li>The figure for 2017/18 is drawn from the Social Fund Policy Budget and Management Information System as the Social Fund Annual Report 2017/18 is not yet published.</li><li>The average award is the average payment net of returned payments (including appeals). This is calculated by taking the total value of payments in a given year (net of returned payments) and dividing by the total number of payments in a given year, as recorded in the Policy, Budget and Management Information System.</li><li>These averages include awards made after review, reconsideration or appeal following an initial refusal.</li></ol> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 162526 question first answered 18/07/2018 12:32:53 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	3952 label Biography information for Mr Toby Perkins

794065

registered interest
date	22/11/2017
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	Funerals: Costs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress he has made with respect to paragraph 17 of the Second Special Report of Session 2016-17 of the Work and Pensions Committee, Support for the bereaved: Government response to the Committee’s Ninth Report of Session 2015-16, HC230.
tabling member constituency	Derby North
tabling member printed	Chris Williamson
uin	115153
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2017 answer text <p>We are committed to working with stakeholders to improve the scheme, and recently carried out reforms to the Social Fund Funeral Expenses Regulations, to clarify eligibility and simplify the application process. The formal government response can be accessed <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/656887/consultation-response-reforms-to-funeral-expenses-payments.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>, these regulations will come into force from spring 2018.</p><p>Funeral Expenses Payments continue to cover the necessary costs involved with funerals and cremations, and up to £700 for other funeral expenses. The funding offered from both Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payments and Social Fund Budgeting Loans offers an adequate level of support whilst maintaining a fiscally viable fund.</p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 27/11/2017 16:08:11 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	3976 label Biography information for Chris Williamson

731085

registered interest
date	21/06/2017
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	Funerals: Costs
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to initiate a cross-departmental review of funeral poverty to make recommendations for reform.
tabling member printed	Baroness Meacher
uin	HL93
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2017 answer text <p>Bereavement is a very distressing and difficult time. The Government is committed to working with local authorities, funeral directors and groups helping bereaved people to ensure that funeral services meet the needs of vulnerable people. It will continue to consider this issue in the context of discussions with these organisations.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 04/07/2017 11:04:41 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	3810 label Biography information for Baroness Meacher

631977

registered interest
date	08/11/2016
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	Funerals: Costs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of funeral services in each of the last five years; and what steps he plans to take to provide a more affordable service.
tabling member constituency	Derby North
tabling member printed	Amanda Solloway
uin	52206
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2016 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions is not responsible for providing funeral services and has made no assessment of the cost of funeral services. The Department continues to make Funeral Expenses Payments to people on qualifying income-based benefits and tax credits who are arranging a funeral. Funeral Expenses Payments make a significant contribution towards the costs of a simple, respectful funeral.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 17/11/2016 15:11:59 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
tabling member	4372 label Biography information for Amanda Solloway

596110

registered interest
date	07/10/2016
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	Funerals: Costs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people who are affected by funeral poverty.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	46815
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2016 answer text <p>The Department does not hold this information. In 2015/2016, the Department made 29,000 Funeral Expenses Payments to people on qualifying income-based benefits and tax credits to help them with the cost of arranging a funeral.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 13/10/2016 14:05:50 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

596111

registered interest
date	07/10/2016
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	Funerals: Costs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to reduce the cost of funerals.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	46703
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2016 answer text <p>We continue to make Funeral Expenses Payments to make a significant contribution towards the costs of a simple, respectful funeral. These payments are made to claimants on qualifying income-based benefits and tax credits who are arranging a funeral.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 13/10/2016 15:11:55 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

596112

registered interest
date	07/10/2016
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	Funerals: Costs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent representations his Department has (a) received and (b) made to the Scottish Government on its approach to funeral expenses.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Northfield
tabling member printed	Richard Burden
uin	46704
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2016 answer text <p>My Department has been working closely with Scottish Government officials to facilitate the effective handover of powers and responsibilities under the Scotland Act 2016. The progress we have made is testament to the constructive approach we are taking; we have already commenced the vast majority of the welfare powers and discussions are underway on the steps that we will take to commence the remaining sections including funeral expenses.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 13/10/2016 13:31:26 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
tabling member	301 label Biography information for Richard Burden