Helping You
Grants and Support to pay for Funerals
Weldon Funeral Services accept payments from the Government Social Fund towards the cost of your loved ones funeral. The Social Fund is available for those people on benefits who are organising the funeral of a loved one and we can help you to complete the required forms and apply for the grant.
You will not be granted a Funeral Payment just because you are paying for a funeral. The benefits office has to agree that it is reasonable for you to be responsible for the funeral and that there is no one else who should be paying for it.
If you are claiming for the funeral of your child or partner, you can be paid a Funeral Payment as long as you meet the other qualifying conditions. This applies to lesbian, gay and heterosexual partners. It also applies whether you were married, in a civil partnership or just living together.
If you are a close relative, family member or a friend of the person who has died, you may be able to get a Funeral Payment, but this will depend whether there are other relatives alive who are not on benefit.
Government Support Scheme
The Social Fund is a government scheme to help people on a low income with emergency expenses.
- You qualify for a Funeral Payment if you or your partner are getting any of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit (Housing Benefit: England, Scotland, Wales)
The Guidelines
How much does it
Pay?
There is no fixed sum for a Funeral Payment. It covers necessary burial or cremation fees, certain other expenses like the cost of a journey to arrange the funeral and up to £700 for other costs such as the funeral director’s fees, the coffin or flowers. However, only up to £120 can be paid in total if the person who died had a pre-paid funeral plan.
If the Funeral Payment does not cover the full necessary costs of the funeral you will be required to pay the difference.
If you are not eligible for a grant we can assist you to contact charities who may be able to help.
Weldon Funeral Services offer affordable funerals. Please talk to us about your circumstances and we will do our utmost to support you.
Following a Bereavement
It is not necessary to have the death certificate in your possession before contacting Weldon Funeral Services. We hope the following information may help you to understand what to do when bereavement occurs.
When a death occurs at home:
First contact the family doctor of the deceased. They will normally call at the house and confirm a death has occurred. We can then take your loved one into our care. Whatever time of night or day call 01202 238568 and we will attend at a time convenient to you. If satisfied as to the cause of death, the doctor will issue a medical certificate showing the cause of death. This may take a couple of days and you will usually be collected from the surgery. This will then enable you to register the death and collect the death certificate from the registrar.
When a death occurs at a nursing or residential home or community hospital:
When a person dies in a community hospital, nursing home or residential home, the manager, sister or staff nurse will be there to assist you. You will need to advise them you wish to appoint Weldon Funeral Services to care for your loved one. The staff will advise you on contacting the doctor to arrange for the medical certificate showing the cause of death to be collected. It is likely that a duty doctor will attended. This will then enable you to register the death and collect the death certificate from the registrar. We will not be able to bring your loved one into our care until the duty doctor has attended.
When a death occurs at a general hospital:
When a person dies in a General Hospital, you will need an appointment with the Patients affairs office. The hospital will help you do this. Here you can collect a medical certificate showing the cause of death and any personal effects of the deceased. Once the necessary paperwork has been completed, you can contact us to arrange for your loved one to be brought into our care. You can then arrange to register the death and collect the death certificate from the registrar.
When someone dies suddenly:
All sudden deaths must be reported to the Coroner. The police usually attend to ensure that there are no suspicious circumstances. The Coroner will then decide whether a post-mortem and an inquest will need to be conducted. When this occurs, a representative of the Coroner will take the deceased to the public mortuary or local hospital. These undertakers are a representative of the Coroner and does not have any bearing on who you choose to take care of any arrangements on your behalf. We will happily contact the Coroner on your behalf to inform them you have appointed Weldon Funeral Services as your nominated funeral provider.
Useful Numbers
Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages
Bournemouth 01202 454 945
Poole 01202 633 744
Christchurch 01202 454 945
Ferndown, Weymouth, Dorchester, Blandford, Bridport, Gillingham, Sherborne, Swanage, Wareham 01305 225 153
Ringwood 0300 555 1392
Hospitals & Hospice’s
Royal Bournemouth Hospital 01202 303 626
Poole General Hospital 01202 665 511
Christchurch Hospital 01202 486 361
Southampton General Hospital 02380 777 222
Victoria Community Hospital Wimborne 01202 856 410
Lymington New Forest Hospital 01590 663 000
Dorset County Hospital 01305 251 150
Macmillan Caring Locally (Hospice) 01202 477 628
Forest Holme (Hospice) 01202 448 118
Oakhaven (Hospice) 01590 670 346