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<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 />
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