People living in Scotland may not be aware of a Scottish Government scheme which helps provide financial support worth an average of £1,810 towards the costs of a loved one's funeral. The Funeral Support Payment can be used to help pay for the burial or cremation of a baby, child or adult in Scotland, and also includes babies who were stillborn.
The latest figures from Social Security Scotland show that since the scheme launched in September 2019, some 21,375 applications have been received. More than £25.5 million has been issued since 2019 to those eligible for financial support, with an average payment of £1,810.
Social Security Scotland aims to make a decision on claims for the support within 10 days of receiving all the evidence they need. However, it also said that this can take their specially trained team slightly longer when demand is higher.
