Funeral Support Payment eligibility widened by around 40%

The Funeral Support Payment in Scotland is to be widened by around 40 per cent through a new "nearest relative" eligibility test, according to One Parent Families Scotland (OPFS), which published the change on 2 February 2026¹. The payment is a one-off contribution towards funeral costs for people in Scotland who are on certain benefits and need support to meet those costs¹.

OPFS said the change comes alongside a "more sensitive assessment to determine who is responsible for the funeral cost payments"¹. It said the widened eligibility is expected to help reach an estimated 5,000 people each year¹.

OPFS also listed two other elements of the payment: speeding up processing times for completed applications once all required evidence has been received, and annually reviewing and uprating the flat rate element to take account of inflation¹. No figures for the flat rate, the value of the payment or the date any uprating takes effect are given in the published information¹.

Applications are accepted from the date of death up until six months after the funeral has taken place, OPFS said¹. That means anyone who meets the eligibility rules and has already paid for a funeral within the last six months can apply retrospectively, provided they have not already received a Funeral Expenses Payment from the Department for Work and Pensions¹. OPFS said its teams in Glasgow and Lanarkshire can support people applying for the payment¹.

Why it matters for households

The payment is aimed at people in Scotland on certain benefits who need help with the cost of a funeral¹. The practical effect of the new test is that responsibility for funeral costs is assessed differently, which OPFS expects to bring around 40 per cent more people within scope, an estimated 5,000 people a year¹. Because applications can be made up to six months after the funeral, the retrospective route covers funerals already paid for in that window, as long as no Funeral Expenses Payment has been received from the DWP¹. The flat rate element is to be reviewed and uprated annually for inflation, though no rate or date is given¹. The published information does not set out the eligibility rules in detail, the benefit list, the amount payable or the exact date the new test takes effect; those have not been reported¹.

What happens next

OPFS says processing times for completed applications will be speeded up once all required evidence has been received, and that the flat rate element will be reviewed and uprated annually to account for inflation¹. No dates for either change are given¹. Applications continue to be accepted from the date of death until six months after the funeral¹.

For background on how this payment works, see Funeral Support Payment in Scotland and Help with Funeral Costs Across the UK. The equivalent support outside Scotland is covered in Funeral Expenses Payment: Who Qualifies and How to Claim, and general costs are set out in Paying for a Funeral: Costs and Help.