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<p>As the calendar year 2018 is incomplete at the time of response, figures for 2018
are not included in the tables below.</p><p> </p><p>Table 1 provides the number of
Funeral Expenses Payments (FEP) applications received and the number of initial refusals
in each year between 2015 and 2017.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Table 1:
FEP applications received and initial refusals, 2015-2017</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>2015</p></td><td><p>2016</p></td><td><p>2017</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Applications
received</p></td><td><p>46,600</p></td><td><p>44,300</p></td><td><p>41,800</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Initial
refusals</p></td><td><p>20,800</p></td><td><p>19,400</p></td><td><p>16,900</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p>Source: Policy, Budget and Management Information System</p><p> </p><p><strong>Notes
to table 1: </strong></p><p> </p><ul><li><p>Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.</p></li><li><p>Due
to the timing of application processing, figures on initial refusals may relate to
applications received in the previous year.</p></li><li><p>These figures do not include
applications which were processed clerically and have not been entered on to the Social
Fund Computer System.</p></li><li><p>Figures on applications made are based on applications
received by DWP, not applications processed. Some applications may have been withdrawn
before a decision was made.</p></li><li><p>The number of applications made in each
year is not equal to the number of people who made applications in that year. An individual
may make multiple applications in a given time period.</p></li><li><p>The number of
initial refusals gives the number of initially unsuccessful applications and not those
that are unsuccessful after appeal. An application will only be unsuccessful if it
does not meet the qualifying criteria. These include, amongst other criteria, being
in receipt of relevant benefits and meeting rules regarding relationship with the
deceased. The full qualifying criteria are outlined in section 7 of “The Social Fund:
Technical Guidance” publication. (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-social-fund-technical-guidance/the-social-fund-technical-guidance"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-social-fund-technical-guidance/the-social-fund-technical-guidance</a>)</p></li></ul><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Table 2 provides the average FEP award in each
year 2015-2017.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Table 2: Average FEP award, 2015-2017</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>2015</p></td><td><p>2016</p></td><td><p>2017</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Average
award</p></td><td><p>£1,390</p></td><td><p>£1,420</p></td><td><p>£1,450</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p>Source: Policy, Budget and Management Information System</p><p> </p><p><strong>Notes
to table 2:</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><ul><li><p>Figures are rounded to
the nearest £10.</p></li><li><p>The average award figures relate to 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.</p></li><li><p>These averages include awards made after review,
reconsideration or appeal following an initial refusal.</p></li></ul><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Data
on the lowest FEP award in the years 2015-2018 is not collated centrally and could
only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p>
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