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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

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

938459

registered interest
date	11/07/2018
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	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 plans his Department has to review the adequacy of the element of the Funeral Expenses Payment that is used to pay funeral directors, coffins and flowers to cover those costs.
tabling member constituency	Chesterfield
tabling member printed	Toby Perkins
uin	163065
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2018 answer text <p>The Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payments provides a significant contribution towards funeral costs, covering burials, cremations and £700 towards coffins, flowers and other costs. It continues to meet the necessary costs of a cremation or burial for claimants on certain income based benefits or tax credits. Average payments have increased year-on-year to meet these necessary costs, by some 28% over the past ten years.</p><p> </p><p>We have also made interest-free Social Fund Budgeting Loans available for funeral costs in addition to Funeral Expenses Payments. Whilst we are keeping the level of funeral expenses payments under review, we do need to ensure that we have a system that is both fair for taxpayers, while assisting the most vulnerable with funeral expenses.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 19/07/2018 14:44:52 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	3952 label Biography information for Mr Toby Perkins

937886

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	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 average Funeral Expenses Payment was in each year since 2003.
tabling member constituency	Chesterfield
tabling member printed	Toby Perkins
uin	162526
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 162525 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

937548

registered interest
date	09/07/2018
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	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 interest rate charge is for funeral expenses payments.
tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
tabling member printed	Justin Madders
uin	162086
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2018 answer text <p>We make low-cost funeral expense payments to people who receive (or whose partners receive) a qualifying benefit or Tax Credit. These are recoverable from the estate of the deceased and where there aren’t enough assets available in the estate it is written off.</p><p> </p><p>DWP’s Annual Report and Accounts 2017-2018 contains information on losses associated with the social fund at page 159, which can be found here:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/721224/dwp-annual-report-and-accounts-2017-2018.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/721224/dwp-annual-report-and-accounts-2017-2018.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>There were 663k (gross) of Funeral Expense Payments outstanding as at 31 March 2018.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Work and Pensions has the discretion to apply interest at 1.5% above the Bank of England Base Rate when recovering an outstanding Funeral Payment from an estate.</p><p> </p><p>Interest would be charged on any balance outstanding at the end of each calendar year.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 162087 question first answered 17/07/2018 16:45:38 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

937549

registered interest
date	09/07/2018
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	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 estimate he has made of the amount of money owed to the public purse from funeral expenses payments.
tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
tabling member printed	Justin Madders
uin	162087
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2018 answer text <p>We make low-cost funeral expense payments to people who receive (or whose partners receive) a qualifying benefit or Tax Credit. These are recoverable from the estate of the deceased and where there aren’t enough assets available in the estate it is written off.</p><p> </p><p>DWP’s Annual Report and Accounts 2017-2018 contains information on losses associated with the social fund at page 159, which can be found here:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/721224/dwp-annual-report-and-accounts-2017-2018.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/721224/dwp-annual-report-and-accounts-2017-2018.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>There were 663k (gross) of Funeral Expense Payments outstanding as at 31 March 2018.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Work and Pensions has the discretion to apply interest at 1.5% above the Bank of England Base Rate when recovering an outstanding Funeral Payment from an estate.</p><p> </p><p>Interest would be charged on any balance outstanding at the end of each calendar year.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 162086 question first answered 17/07/2018 16:45:38 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

931803

registered interest
date	27/06/2018
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, how many Funeral Expenses Payment claims there have been in each year since 2005.
tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
tabling member printed	Ged Killen
uin	158357
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2018 answer text <p>Data on the amount claimed for Funeral Expenses Payments (FEPs) is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>The number of FEP applications received by the DWP and awards as a proportion of FEP applications processed, in each calendar year since 2005, are given below in table 1. They are rounded to the nearest 0.1%. Figures are not given for 2018 as the calendar year is incomplete.</p><p> </p><p>Due to the timing of application processing, figures on awards may relate to applications processed in the previous year.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Table 1: FEP applications received and proportion of FEP applications resulting in an award, Great Britain 2005 - 2017</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Applications received (000s)</p></td><td><p>Awards as a proportion of applications processed</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2005</p></td><td><p>68.5</p></td><td><p>62.5%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006</p></td><td><p>67.7</p></td><td><p>61.3%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007</p></td><td><p>63.8</p></td><td><p>61.3%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p>67.5</p></td><td><p>59.5%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>68.9</p></td><td><p>58.3%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>66.8</p></td><td><p>56.6%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>71</p></td><td><p>54.6%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>66.4</p></td><td><p>54.4%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>62.2</p></td><td><p>56.3%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p>52.5</p></td><td><p>59.1%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015</p></td><td><p>46.6</p></td><td><p>62.5%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016</p></td><td><p>44.3</p></td><td><p>60.9%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017</p></td><td><p>41.8</p></td><td><p>61.7%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Source: Social Fund Policy, Budget, and Management Information System</p><p> </p><p>Notes:</p><p> </p><ul><li>These figures do not include applications that were processed clerically and have not been entered on to the Social Fund Computer System.</li><li>Figures on applications received differ from the number of applications processed by the DWP. Some applications may have been withdrawn before a decision was made.</li><li>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.</li><li>The proportion of FEP claims resulting in an award is calculated by dividing the number of awards in a given year by the number of applications processed by the DWP in a given year. The number of awards used in this calculation includes awards made after review, reconsideration or appeal following an initial refusal.</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse grouped question UIN 158358 158359 question first answered 02/07/2018 16:44:29 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4672 label Biography information for Ged Killen

931804

registered interest
date	27/06/2018
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 estimate she has made of the average amount claimed for each funeral expenses payment in each year since 2005.
tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
tabling member printed	Ged Killen
uin	158358
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2018 answer text <p>Data on the amount claimed for Funeral Expenses Payments (FEPs) is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>The number of FEP applications received by the DWP and awards as a proportion of FEP applications processed, in each calendar year since 2005, are given below in table 1. They are rounded to the nearest 0.1%. Figures are not given for 2018 as the calendar year is incomplete.</p><p> </p><p>Due to the timing of application processing, figures on awards may relate to applications processed in the previous year.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Table 1: FEP applications received and proportion of FEP applications resulting in an award, Great Britain 2005 - 2017</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Applications received (000s)</p></td><td><p>Awards as a proportion of applications processed</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2005</p></td><td><p>68.5</p></td><td><p>62.5%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006</p></td><td><p>67.7</p></td><td><p>61.3%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007</p></td><td><p>63.8</p></td><td><p>61.3%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p>67.5</p></td><td><p>59.5%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>68.9</p></td><td><p>58.3%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>66.8</p></td><td><p>56.6%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>71</p></td><td><p>54.6%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>66.4</p></td><td><p>54.4%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>62.2</p></td><td><p>56.3%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p>52.5</p></td><td><p>59.1%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015</p></td><td><p>46.6</p></td><td><p>62.5%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016</p></td><td><p>44.3</p></td><td><p>60.9%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017</p></td><td><p>41.8</p></td><td><p>61.7%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Source: Social Fund Policy, Budget, and Management Information System</p><p> </p><p>Notes:</p><p> </p><ul><li>These figures do not include applications that were processed clerically and have not been entered on to the Social Fund Computer System.</li><li>Figures on applications received differ from the number of applications processed by the DWP. Some applications may have been withdrawn before a decision was made.</li><li>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.</li><li>The proportion of FEP claims resulting in an award is calculated by dividing the number of awards in a given year by the number of applications processed by the DWP in a given year. The number of awards used in this calculation includes awards made after review, reconsideration or appeal following an initial refusal.</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse grouped question UIN 158357 158359 question first answered 02/07/2018 16:44:29 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4672 label Biography information for Ged Killen

931805

registered interest
date	27/06/2018
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 proportion of funeral expenses payment claims were successful in each year since 2005.
tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
tabling member printed	Ged Killen
uin	158359
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2018 answer text <p>Data on the amount claimed for Funeral Expenses Payments (FEPs) is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>The number of FEP applications received by the DWP and awards as a proportion of FEP applications processed, in each calendar year since 2005, are given below in table 1. They are rounded to the nearest 0.1%. Figures are not given for 2018 as the calendar year is incomplete.</p><p> </p><p>Due to the timing of application processing, figures on awards may relate to applications processed in the previous year.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Table 1: FEP applications received and proportion of FEP applications resulting in an award, Great Britain 2005 - 2017</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Applications received (000s)</p></td><td><p>Awards as a proportion of applications processed</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2005</p></td><td><p>68.5</p></td><td><p>62.5%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006</p></td><td><p>67.7</p></td><td><p>61.3%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007</p></td><td><p>63.8</p></td><td><p>61.3%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p>67.5</p></td><td><p>59.5%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>68.9</p></td><td><p>58.3%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>66.8</p></td><td><p>56.6%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>71</p></td><td><p>54.6%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>66.4</p></td><td><p>54.4%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>62.2</p></td><td><p>56.3%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p>52.5</p></td><td><p>59.1%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015</p></td><td><p>46.6</p></td><td><p>62.5%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016</p></td><td><p>44.3</p></td><td><p>60.9%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017</p></td><td><p>41.8</p></td><td><p>61.7%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Source: Social Fund Policy, Budget, and Management Information System</p><p> </p><p>Notes:</p><p> </p><ul><li>These figures do not include applications that were processed clerically and have not been entered on to the Social Fund Computer System.</li><li>Figures on applications received differ from the number of applications processed by the DWP. Some applications may have been withdrawn before a decision was made.</li><li>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.</li><li>The proportion of FEP claims resulting in an award is calculated by dividing the number of awards in a given year by the number of applications processed by the DWP in a given year. The number of awards used in this calculation includes awards made after review, reconsideration or appeal following an initial refusal.</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse grouped question UIN 158357 158358 question first answered 02/07/2018 16:44:30 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4672 label Biography information for Ged Killen

931589

registered interest
date	26/06/2018
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 recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the funeral expenses payment in covering average funeral costs.
tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
tabling member printed	Ged Killen
uin	157864
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2018 answer text <p>The Department has not carried out such an assessment. Funeral costs vary by circumstance, and the Funeral Expenses Payments scheme continues to make a significant contribution towards the cost of a simple funeral for claimants on certain income based benefits or tax credits.</p><p>The Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payment scheme meets the necessary costs of a cremation or burial for eligible claimants, with the average Funeral Expenses Payment increasing year-on-year to meet the necessary costs. We also provide up to £700 for other costs. In 2016/17, my department made approximately 27,000 Funeral Expenses Payments, costing around £38.6 million.</p><p>In addition to Funeral Expenses Payments, my department provides interest-free Social Fund Budgeting Loans to help meet additional funeral costs for eligible claimants.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 02/07/2018 16:37:58 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4672 label Biography information for Ged Killen