Funeral Costs Plan
Action plan to tackle funeral poverty and make more affordable funeral options available.
Timeline of progress so far and next steps
November 2014: Smith Commission agrees Funeral Payment should be one of the 11 benefits devolved to the Scottish Parliament
March 2015: Removal of the doctor's fee for the bereaved from cremation costs.
October 2015: John Birrell and Citizens Advice Scotland asked to prepare a report on Funeral Poverty in Scotland
February 2016: SG response to the Review of Funeral Poverty published
March 2016: Scotland Act 2016 receives Royal Assent
March 2016: Funeral Expense Assistance and Funeral Poverty Reference Group established
April 2016: Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016 receives Royal Assent
October 2016: Fairer Scotland Action Plan published
October 2016: 3 round table discussions hosted by the Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities with the funeral industry, local authorities and the third sector
November 2016: SG hosts the National Conference on Funeral Poverty
April 2017: Launch of training for advisors on the current DWP Funeral Payment
June 2017: Social Security Bill introduced to the Scottish Parliament
August 2017: Publication of Funeral Costs Plan and Planning Your Own Funeral leaflet. Launch of training for advisors on funeral poverty
By December 2018: SG guidance on funeral costs published
By summer 2019: Launch of Scottish Funeral Expense Assistance benefit
By autumn 2020: Launch of Pilot Scottish funeral bond
Contact
There is a problem
Thanks for your feedback