IRRV Alert - week ending 29th January 2016
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Committee questions DWP Minister Baroness Altmann on bereavement expenses and help available
Baroness Altmann questioned on bereavement benefits
The Work and Pensions Committee takes evidence from DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) Minister Baroness Altmann as part of its inquiry into bereavement benefits.
Witnesses
Wednesday 27 January 2016, Wilson Room, Portcullis House
At 9.30am
- Simon Cox, Royal London Group
At 10.00am
- Baroness Altmann CBE, Minister of State for Pensions, Department for Work and Pensions
- Michelle Dyson, Director, Children Families & Disadvantage, Department for Work and Pensions
- Pete Searle, Director, Working Age, Department for Work and Pensions
Purpose of the session
The Committee questions DWP Minister Baroness Altmann on the issues raised by the inquiry, including:
Funerals
- The rationale for a cap of £700 for "other funeral expenses" which must cover collection and care of the deceased, coffin, Minister’s fee etc. The cap has been in place since 2003.
- Whether changes to Social Fund funeral payments could help to curb the number of Public Health Funerals. An FOI by the BBC suggests that the number Public Health Funerals is increasing.
Bereavement benefits
- Whether changes could be made so that cohabiting couples with children are also eligible for the new Bereavement Support Payment. Currently only married couples or couples in a civil partnership are eligible, even if couples have dependent children together.
- Why the Bereavement Support Payment is only paid for a year whereas Widowed Parent’s Allowance is payable for a number of years and the impact this could have on bereaved children.
Inquiry background
The Work and Pensions Committee launched an inquiry into the help that is available to people on lower incomes to cope with funeral expenses and the loss of essential income that can come with losing a family member.
The Government provides Social Fund payments to help people unable to pay for funerals, but these are paid in retrospect and often do not cover the full costs.
Factors such as lack of burial space, rising funeral director’s fees and the increase of private crematoria have all been cited as reasons for the increasing cost of funerals.