Grants from charities and benevolent funds

DOWN TO EARTH

Grants towards funeral costs

Charities, benevolent funds and other organisations may be able to provide grants to help with funeral costs. Some grants are linked to work and professions, while others are based on factors such as your age, where you live, your background or your connection to a particular group.

How to find a grant-giving organisation

  1. Internet searches
    Searching online using keywords linked to your situation, such as your job title, industry or the organisation you (or the person who died) worked for, may help you find relevant charities.
  2. Use a grants search tool
    Grants search tools, such as Turn2Us and Lightning Reach can help you find charities that offer financial support. Both tools allow you to enter details about yourself, such as your age, postcode, employment history and other circumstances, to find organisations you may be eligible to apply to.
    Always check the eligibility criteria for each organisation before applying.
  3. Trade unions
    If you, your partner or someone close to you who is helping with the funeral costs is a trade union member, contact the union’s welfare department to ask whether they offer financial support.

If the person who died was a trade union member, contact their union to ask whether there are any death benefits available.

Am I eligible to apply?

Each charity or organisation has its own eligibility criteria. Some may look at your circumstances, while others may consider the circumstances of the person who died, such as their work history or membership of an organisation.

Before completing a long application form, it is worth checking that you meet the criteria by reading the organisation’s website or contacting them directly.

How to apply

The application process is different for each organisation. Some accept applications online, while others may ask you to apply by email, letter or telephone.

Before applying, check what information and documents you will need. Gathering these together in advance can make the process easier. You will usually need a copy of the funeral director’s bill and recent bank statements. Some organisations may also ask for documents showing a connection to a particular job, industry or organisation, such as payslips or P60s.

When making your application it’s helpful to be clear what you are asking for help with, how much it will cost, and what other help you have applied for or got.

How to find a grant-giving organisation

There are grants related to work and professions that can help with unpaid funeral bills, as well as charities related to characteristics such as your age, gender or nationality, or where you live.

Internet search

A search using keywords, such as your job title or industry can help you find appropriate charities.

Check the Turn2Us grants search tool

Under the ‘search for a grant’ section, you can enter details about yourself, including your age, postcode, religion, nationality and past or current work and employment. You’ll then get a list of charities which you may be able to apply to for help. Have a look at each one and make sure to check the eligibility criteria.

Turn2Us grants search

Use the Lightning Reach portal to search for grants

Create a one-time profile with details about yourself, including your age, postcode and any past or current work and employment. You’ll then get a list of charities which you may be able to apply to for help. Be sure to check the eligibility criteria before making an application through the portal.

https://bit.ly/3LBr9tV

Lightning Reach portal

Trade unions

Are you, your partner or a close family member who is helping with the bill a member of a trade union? If so, contact the union welfare department to ask about possible financial support schemes they have.

If the person who has died was a member of a trade union, contact them to find out if there are any death benefits due.

Other guidance for anyone struggling with a funeral bill

Black piggy bank with the word funeral written on it. A white person's hand is putting a coin into the top.

Money from the estate

Carefully look through the deceased person’s paperwork to try and identify all the different accounts they may have had and to see if anything suggests they had any insurance policies or private pensions (not the state pension).

A black couple are sat at a table holding hands. On the table is a paper form and a pen.

Government support

There is some statutory financial support available to help with funeral costs.

Two white women are sat on a bench in a park. They are looking at a photograph in a frame that the older woman is holding.

Crowdfunding

Online donations from family, friends and even strangers who just want to help can reduce funeral debt.

A mobile phone with the calculator screen open. The calculator shows zero.

Repayment plans and loans

Funeral directors often need part payment to cover third party costs, called disbursements, before the funeral can go ahead.

SUPPORT AND RESOURCES

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Guidance on the various ways you can keep costs down when planning a funeral now or in the future.

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Helpful information explaining what you need to do after a death.

Black piggy bank with the word funeral written on it. A white person's hand is putting a coin into the top.

How much does a funeral cost?

The average cost of the attended funeral SunLife tracks is £4,285, though less expensive options are available.

Photo credits: Cottonbro Studios, RDNE Stock Project and Mikhail Nikov on Pexels