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The DSS has in recent years changed its eligibility criteria for claims. The main points are:

A maximum of £700 plus basic disbursements will be paid for. A basic funeral often exceeds this amount.

The claim is likely to fail if the conditions below are not met:

The person claiming must be the person arranging the funeral and taking responsibility for the payment.
The claimant or the claimants partner must be in receipt of funds from the social security
The deceased should have ordinarily lived in the UK
The funeral must take place in the UK
The full amount will not be paid if the claimant has savings in excess of £500 (£1000 if over 60 years of age)
If the claimant is eligible to claim but has a brother or sister not in receipt of benefit.
If the claimant is claiming for the death of a child one parent must be eligible.

The claim is likely to be successful if the following applies:

If the claimant is the partner of the deceased on DSS benefit and has less than the above specified savings.

The claim is worth going ahead with if:

If the claimant is eligible but there is a parent or adult child who does not qualify. This relative may be asked to pay even if living abroad unless the claimant can prove they are estranged.