PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
(5 June 2025)

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applicants who were (a) responsible for funeral costs and (b) in receipt of a qualifying benefit were denied a Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payment because of the family tests in the eligibility criteria in each of the last five years.

Asked by:
Dr Ellie Chowns (Green Party)

Table 1 shows the number of applicants who were refused a Funeral Expenses Payment for the below reasons:

• There is a surviving partner
• There is a closer relative
• They are not a partner, friend or relative

Table 1: Funeral Expense Payments- Refusals linked to the Family Test

	2020/21	2021/22	2022/23	2023/24	2024/25
Number of Refusals	1,100	900	1,200	1,200	1,000

Notes:

- These figures have been estimated using unaudited internal DWP Management Information which is not quality assured to the same extent as Official / National statistics.

- These applicants are assumed to have been responsible for funeral costs and to have been in receipt of a qualifying benefit.

- Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.

Answered by:
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