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937886
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2018-07-10more like thismore than 2018-07-10
answering body
Department for Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept id 29 more like this
answering dept short name Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept sort name Work and Pensions remove filter
hansard heading Funeral Payments remove filter
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average Funeral Expenses Payment was in each year since 2003. more like this
tabling member constituency Chesterfield more like this
tabling member printed
Toby Perkins more like this
uin 162526 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2018-07-18more like thismore than 2018-07-18
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 more like this
answering member printed Justin Tomlinson more like this
grouped question UIN 162525 more like this
question first answered
less than 2018-07-18T12:32:53.97Zmore like thismore than 2018-07-18T12:32:53.97Z
answering member
4105
label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson more like this
tabling member
3952
label Biography information for Mr Toby Perkins more like this
793044
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2017-11-21more like thismore than 2017-11-21
answering body
Department for Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept id 29 more like this
answering dept short name Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept sort name Work and Pensions remove filter
hansard heading Funeral Payments remove filter
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations he has received on concern about the adequacy of the funeral fund to cover basic funeral costs; and whether he plans change to that fund. more like this
tabling member constituency Bermondsey and Old Southwark more like this
tabling member printed
Neil Coyle more like this
uin 114829 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction true more like this
date of answer less than 2017-11-28more like thismore than 2017-11-28
answer text <p><del class="ministerial">DWP have advertised 1,053 External Vacancies since January 2015 containing 21,432 posts. The breakdown provided by Government Recruitment Services is provided as requested overleaf. It is worth considering these vacancies are not guaranteed to have been filled.</del></p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">These are the vacancies we advertised. Not all roles advertised were filled and therefore this data will include repeat adverts.</del></p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>Month</strong></del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>Number of Vacancies</strong></del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>Number of Posts</strong> <strong>Advertised</strong></del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jan-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">8</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">214</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Feb-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">353</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Mar-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">9</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">60</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Apr-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">8</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">62</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">May-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">13</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">54</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jun-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">20</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">311</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jul-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">326</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Aug-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">26</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1698</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Sep-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1479</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Oct-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">13</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">469</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Nov-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">28</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">397</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Dec-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">14</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">239</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jan-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">14</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">290</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Feb-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">47</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1274</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Mar-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">50</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">2107</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Apr-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">74</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1309</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">May-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">31</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">500</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jun-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">58</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1081</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jul-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">26</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">214</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Aug-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">34</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">804</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Sep-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">61</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1251</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Oct-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">50</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">542</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Nov-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">34</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">567</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Dec-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">5</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">48</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jan-17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">101</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1540</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Feb-17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">35</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">483</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Mar-17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">131</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Apr-17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">4</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">22</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">May-17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">42</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">891</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jun-17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">64</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1238</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jul-17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">24</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">433</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Aug-17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">21</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">243</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Sep-17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">18</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">66</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Oct-17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">30</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">605</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Nov-17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">29</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">131</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>Total</strong></del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>1053</strong></del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>21432</strong></del></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Department has had a number of discussions with representatives from the funeral industry and groups supporting bereaved people about Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payments and in particular the maximum amount of £700 available for other costs. We have made clear that we will ensure that Funeral Expenses Payments continue to meet the necessary costs of a cremation or burial for eligible claimants. Average payments have increased year-on-year to meet these necessary costs. We have had to make difficult choices about welfare spending and it has not been possible to increase the £700 maximum for other costs. However, we have made interest-free Social Fund Budgeting Loans available for funeral costs in addition to Funeral Expenses Payments.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">We have also been carrying out reforms to the Funeral Expenses Payments Regulations which are coming into force in April 2018. The reforms focused primarily on clarifying a number of issues around eligibility and to simplify the process for claiming a Funeral Expenses Payment. The formal response to the consultation on the Reform of the Funeral Expenses Payment Regulations was published on 3 July 2017 and can be found at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/656887/consultation-response-reforms-to-funeral-expenses-payments.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/656887/consultation-response-reforms-to-funeral-expenses-payments.pdf</a>.</ins></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
answering member constituency Gosport more like this
answering member printed Caroline Dinenage more like this
question first answered
less than 2017-11-28T16:52:20.983Zmore like thismore than 2017-11-28T16:52:20.983Z
question first ministerially corrected
less than 2017-11-29T12:23:58.23Zmore like thismore than 2017-11-29T12:23:58.23Z
answering member
4008
label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage more like this
previous answer version
25531
answering member constituency Gosport more like this
answering member printed Caroline Dinenage more like this
answering member
4008
label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage more like this
tabling member
4368
label Biography information for Neil Coyle more like this
731090
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2017-06-21more like thismore than 2017-06-21
answering body
Department for Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept id 29 more like this
answering dept short name Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept sort name Work and Pensions remove filter
hansard heading Funeral Payments remove filter
house id 2 more like this
legislature
25277
pref label House of Lords more like this
question text Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to match the ten-day target for the administration of Social Fund Funeral Payments pledged by the Scottish Government; and, if not, what plans they have to enable bereaved families to bury their relatives in the absence of any estate from which to draw funds to cover funeral costs. more like this
tabling member printed
Baroness Meacher more like this
uin HL98 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2017-06-28more like thismore than 2017-06-28
answer text <p>The Department has no plans to change its clearance standard of 15 working days for Funeral Expenses Payments. The Department provides Funeral Expenses Payments to people who are arranging a funeral and who are in receipt of a qualifying income-related benefit. They make a significant contribution towards the cost of arranging a funeral, and are paid as swiftly as possible when all the necessary evidence has been provided. In most cases, payments are made directly to the funeral director who arranged the funeral.</p> more like this
answering member printed Baroness Buscombe more like this
question first answered
less than 2017-06-28T11:11:11.067Zmore like thismore than 2017-06-28T11:11:11.067Z
answering member
3349
label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe more like this
tabling member
3810
label Biography information for Baroness Meacher more like this
171916
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2015-01-05more like thismore than 2015-01-05
answering body
Department for Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept id 29 more like this
answering dept short name Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept sort name Work and Pensions remove filter
hansard heading Funeral Payments remove filter
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
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. more like this
tabling member constituency Birmingham, Hall Green more like this
tabling member printed
Mr Roger Godsiff more like this
uin 219706 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2015-01-12more like thismore than 2015-01-12
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> more like this
answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate more like this
answering member printed Steve Webb more like this
question first answered
less than 2015-01-12T12:32:25.523Zmore like thismore than 2015-01-12T12:32:25.523Z
answering member
220
label Biography information for Steve Webb more like this
tabling member
304
label Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff more like this
100116
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2014-10-21more like thismore than 2014-10-21
answering body
Department for Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept id 29 more like this
answering dept short name Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept sort name Work and Pensions remove filter
hansard heading Funeral Payments remove filter
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
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. more like this
tabling member constituency Liverpool, Walton more like this
tabling member printed
Steve Rotheram more like this
uin 211293 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2014-10-24more like thismore than 2014-10-24
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> more like this
answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate more like this
answering member printed Steve Webb more like this
question first answered
less than 2014-10-24T13:48:18.1742771Zmore like thismore than 2014-10-24T13:48:18.1742771Z
answering member
220
label Biography information for Steve Webb more like this
tabling member
4035
label Biography information for Steve Rotheram more like this
91110
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2014-09-08more like thismore than 2014-09-08
answering body
Department for Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept id 29 more like this
answering dept short name Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept sort name Work and Pensions remove filter
hansard heading Funeral Payments remove filter
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of funeral payment decisions were made within his Department's target time in each of the last three years. more like this
tabling member constituency South Shields more like this
tabling member printed
Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck more like this
uin 208463 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2014-09-11more like thismore than 2014-09-11
answer text <p> </p><p> </p><p>The following table has been taken from the Social Fund Annual Report for 2012/13 which is the latest available published data and the Social Fund Annual Reports for 2011/12 and 2010/11.</p><p> </p><p>The table shows that the average clearance time for Funeral Payment awards was 14.76 working days against a target of 16 working days in 2012/13, 13.8 working days in 2011/12 and 14.5 working days in 2010/11.</p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td>Funeral Payments</td><td></td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Average Actual Clearance Times (AACT) in working days</td><td>AACT Achieved</td><td>AACT Achieved</td><td>% Cleared within AACT Standard</td><td>% Cleared within AACT Standard plus 2 days</td><td>% Cleared within AACT Standard Plus 5 days</td></tr><tr><td>2012/13</td><td>16</td><td>14.76</td><td>65.10%</td><td>74.20%</td><td>83.00%</td></tr><tr><td>2011/12</td><td>16</td><td>13.8</td><td>*</td><td>*</td><td>*</td></tr><tr><td>2010/11</td><td>16</td><td>14.5</td><td>*</td><td>*</td><td>*</td></tr></tbody></table><p /> <p>* <strong>denotes data unavailable</strong></p>
answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate more like this
answering member printed Steve Webb more like this
question first answered
less than 2014-09-11T16:07:20.7121168Zmore like thismore than 2014-09-11T16:07:20.7121168Z
answering member
220
label Biography information for Steve Webb more like this
tabling member
4277
label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck more like this