3. Eligibility
To get a Funeral Payment you must be responsible for the funeral and:
claim in time
get certain benefits or tax credits
meet the rules on your relationship with the deceased
The rules are different if the person died outside the UK.
When to claim
You must apply within 3 months of the funeral. You can make a claim even if you’re waiting for a decision on a qualifying benefit.
Rules on your relationship with the deceased
You must be one of the following:
the partner of the deceased when they died
a close relative or close friend of the deceased
the parent of a baby stillborn after 24 weeks of pregnancy
the parent of the deceased child, if they were under 16 (or under 20 and not in full-time education)
If the parent is ‘absent’, you must be responsible for the child and the absent parent must get a qualifying benefit.