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Assistance with funeral costs

2 replies

Tighdave · 04/09/2013 13:52

A 4 months old baby boy died in early august this year Believed to be sudden infant death syndrome.
My daughter Is the mother of Of the baby boy and was present at his sudden unexplained death. She is a victim of domestic violence and is in receipt of state benefits. For the last 3 weeks she has been trying to get assistance from the DWP so that she can lay her child to rest instead of him lying in a fridge in a funeral directors. Every time she contacts the DWP she is assured a decision will be made in days and every time that she rings back to find out the decision re funding for the funeral she is fobbed off and told to ring back again in another few days. When ringing back again she then gets fobbed off again and told to ring back next week, this has continued for the last 3 weeks and is now continuing into next week. The funeral is booked for Wednesday 11th September with no assistance of funding in place which is causing great distress to my daughter and our family as the funeral may have to be cancelled due to the indecision of the DWP .
My daughter is very vulnerable at this time due to the medical unexplained death of her baby she has 3 other young children all under the age of 10 living as a single mother having broken up from her violent partner. At every point there is no sensitivity or urgency in dealing with her claim to give her child a decent burial.
Can anyone please assist in a matter of urgency in this matter, to get an honest and prompt action from DWP. The complaint system states a reply of three weeks !!!!

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Tighdave · 04/09/2013 13:54

My daughter does not want money from others just the entitlement from the DWP to assist with his funeral

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scaevola · 04/09/2013 14:01

I am so sorry that you and she are in these circumstances.

I think you need to talk to the undertakers as a matter of urgency. The costs of a funeral fall into two parts - the undertakers fees and the disbursements to third parties such as crematorium or church and graveyard fees. Nearly all undertakers waive their fees for babies and infants, which reduces the costs considerably. And you may find that the undertakers will pay disbursements on your behalf with an agreement that you pay them back when you can. This should make it possible for the funeral to go ahead.

I suggest you get your MP onto the DWP straightaway.

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