Bereavement and funeral costs

Losing someone is hard enough without money worries. If you're on a low income and arrangingLosing someone you love is one of the hardest things any of us goes through, and it often comes with paperwork, decisions and costs at the very moment you have the least energy for them. Please know that help is there, you do not have to do any of it alone, and you can take it one step at a time.

This page explains the practical things that need doing, the financial help you may be entitled to, and where to turn for support, both close to home and nationally.

First things first

In England, a death usually needs to be registered within five days. You do this at a register office, and in our area that is handled by the Derbyshire County Council registration service. They can register the death and pass the information on to other relevant agencies on your behalf. It is worth asking for several certified copies of the death certificate at this point, as banks, pension providers and others will each want to see one.

When you register, ask about Tell Us Once. This free service lets you inform all the relevant government departments in one go when someone dies, which saves you repeating the same sad news again and again. You will still need to contact organisations outside government yourself, such as banks, pension providers and utility companies.

Help with funeral costs

Funerals are expensive. The average funeral in 2026 costs somewhere around four to five thousand pounds, so worrying about how to pay is completely understandable.

If you or your partner receive certain benefits, such as Pension Credit, Universal Credit, Housing Benefit or Income Support, you may be able to claim a Funeral Expenses Payment from the government. It covers the burial or cremation fees in full, plus up to £1,000 towards other costs such as the funeral director's fees, a coffin or flowers. If the person who died had a pre-paid funeral plan, you can only get up to £120 towards items the plan does not cover.

A few things are worth knowing:

You must claim within six months of the funeral, although you can apply earlier if you already have an invoice or signed contract from the funeral director.
It is unlikely to cover the whole bill, and any payment is reduced by money available from the person's estate or insurance.
The simplest way to claim is to phone the Bereavement Service helpline on 0800 151 2012 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm). The adviser will also help you claim any other bereavement benefits you might be entitled to. You can also apply using form SF200 at gov.uk.

If there is still a shortfall, do ask your funeral director about lower cost options, as a simpler or direct cremation can cost a good deal less. There are also charitable grants worth exploring, through organisations such as Turn2Us or the Royal British Legion. And if there is genuinely no one able to arrange or pay for the funeral, the council can arrange a simple public health funeral.

If your husband, wife or civil partner has died

What you can claim depends on your age at the time they died.

If you were under State Pension age, you may be able to claim Bereavement Support Payment. It is not means-tested and pays a one off lump sum followed by monthly payments for up to 18 months. Without children that is £2,500 plus £100 a month, and with children or if you were pregnant it is £3,500 plus £350 a month. Try to claim within three months of the death to get the full amount, as payments reduce after that.

If you were over State Pension age, which will be the case for many people, Bereavement Support Payment will not usually apply. It can only be claimed if you were under State Pension age when your partner died. However, there are still important things to do. Tell the Pension Service, because your own State Pension or Pension Credit may change, and you may be able to inherit part of your late partner's State Pension. Because your income has changed, it is well worth having a free benefits check (see below) to make sure you are getting everything you are now entitled to.

Sorting out their affairs

Dealing with someone's estate, their money, property and belongings, can feel overwhelming, so please be kind to yourself and take it slowly. You may need to apply for probate before you can deal with everything, and you will need to notify banks, pension schemes and other organisations one by one.

If you have questions about probate or whether any Inheritance Tax is due, the government's Probate and Inheritance Tax Helpline can help, on 0300 123 1072. A local Citizens Advice adviser can also help you understand what needs doing and in what order.

Looking after yourself

Grief is not something to be rushed or "got over", and the practical tasks can sometimes mask just how much you are carrying. Support is there whenever you feel ready, and reaching out is nothing to feel awkward about.

Close to home, Ashgate Hospice in Chesterfield offers specialist bereavement counselling for people in North Derbyshire, both before and after a death (there is a fee per session); you can contact them through ashgatehospice.org.uk. Cruse Bereavement Support offers a free helpline and trained volunteers, on 0808 808 1677. If you have lost someone to suicide, The Tomorrow Project offers free, dedicated support to anyone in Derbyshire of any age, on 01246 541935. Your GP is also there to help, and the Samaritans are available any time of the day or night on 116 123 if you simply need to talk.

Where to get help, locally and nationally

Close to home, across Chesterfield, Bolsover and North East Derbyshire:

Derbyshire County Council registration service, to register the death and use Tell Us Once.
Citizens Advice, for help with funeral costs, benefits and sorting out affairs. For Bolsover and North East Derbyshire, call 0808 250 5702 (9am to 2pm, Monday to Friday). For the Chesterfield Borough area, find your local office at citizensadvice.org.uk.
Derbyshire County Council's adult care service, for a free benefits check.
Ashgate Hospice, Cruse and The Tomorrow Project, for emotional support.

Across the country:

The Bereavement Service, on 0800 151 2012, for the Funeral Expenses Payment and other bereavement benefits.
GOV.UK, for Tell Us Once, the Funeral Expenses Payment and what to do when someone dies.
The Probate and Inheritance Tax Helpline, on 0300 123 1072.
Cruse Bereavement Support, on 0808 808 1677, and the Samaritans, on 116 123. a funeral, you may get help towards the cost. There is also Bereavement Support if your husband, wife or civil partner has died. And there's practical support to help you sort out the affairs that follow.

You don't have to manage it all at once — an adviser can talk you through what to do and what help you can get.

Who to contact

Citizens Advice for help with funeral costs, bereavement support and sorting out affairs.
GOV.UK (search "help with funeral costs" and "Bereavement Support Payment").
Your GP or Age UK Derby & Derbyshire for emotional support.