Emma raised the issue of funeral poverty at Health Questions On Tuesday, asking the Government to look at ways it can improve advice for families to help them plan funerals for a loved one who is approaching the end of their life.
Currently people receiving end of life care are rarely advised on budgeting for a funeral, or the types of support available to help those on low incomes afford a decent service. Last year half of the 60,000 applications for a Funeral Payment were rejected, leaving many families committed to expensive funerals they could not afford. Organisations including Citizens Advice and Sun Life report that families are increasingly taking on payday loan or credit card debt to fund these expenses.
Emma asked the Secretary of State:
“Annually 30,000 applications for funeral payments are rejected, leaving families committed to expensive funerals that they cannot afford. People who are approaching end of life are not advised, as part of their palliative care, about planning for funeral costs or their eligibility for support. What is the Secretary of State going to do to remedy this?”
The Care Minister Norman Lamb responded, saying this was an “important issue” and that he would be happy to meet with Emma to discuss it further.
Funeral poverty is a growing problem in Britain. Almost one in five people struggle to cover the cost of a funeral, a cost that has risen above inflation in each of the last seven years. Proper advice is just one part of the solution – the low level of support available and a lack of information about who is eligible for support also contribute to families’ financial difficulties.
Speaking after Health Questions, Emma said:
“This is a complex issue, but one of the simple and positive changes that can be made is to make sure people are supported to plan for the future, so that they do not have to make these extremely difficult decisions under great emotional stress.
“I hope the Minister and I can have a constructive discussion and look at ways families can be better supported to provide a dignified funeral for their loved ones without getting in to debt.”