Emma has written an article for LabourList about the growing problem of Funeral Poverty. As research by the insurer Royal London reports, funeral costs have nearly doubled in the last ten years, while funerals have consistently risen faster than wages. Royal London’s research finds that one in five families struggle to pay for a funeral, with many taking on debt as a result. Altogether, an estimated 100,000 people in the UK are living with funeral debt.
Emma has pointed out that there is not enough support for poorer families in questions to Ministers earlier this year. Funeral Payments have not risen in line with prices, meaning the benefits available to low-income households are increasingly not enough to help them cover their costs.
The poorly designed system for claiming also encourages thousands of households a year to claim for a Funeral Payment when they are not eligible. These families then find themselves with potentially thousands of pounds worth of debt.
If you are a constituent and have experienced problems paying for a funeral, Emma would be very interested to hear your story. You can contact Emma’s office on 0191 427 1240 or email her at emma.lewell-buck.mp@parliament.uk.