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SAIF has called for an urgent review by the Department of Work and pensions of the process by which decisions are made relating to claims by people on benefits to bury a loved one or relative. Mervyn Pilley – SAIF CEO said “A recent article in the Sunday telegraph has incorrectly stated that ‘Funeral Directors in Britain are refusing to bury those on benefit’. It is clear from levels of bad debt being experienced by our members that many are, as usual, putting the client first and making the decision to go ahead with the cost of a funeral without being certain that a claim for a social fund payment will be met if the person arranging the funeral is on state benefits.

The public should be aware that our members have to make quick decisions about committing to making disbursement payments up front without traditionally asking for any payment up front. If the DWP cannot make a decision on whether a claim will be successful before the funeral then either the member can stand to lose thousands of pounds or the funeral director may decline to carry out the funeral. Whilst this is regrettable funeral directors are businesses and need to be run commercially”.

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