Form

How to claim for costs of a child’s funeral

Updated 24 March 2022

Applies to England

1. The Children’s Funeral Fund for England (CFF)

The Children’s Funeral Fund for England (CFF) is a scheme to provide funding for the fees charged for any burial or cremation of a child under the age of 18 or stillborn after 24 weeks of pregnancy. The fund also covers certain associated expenses.

Claims can be made for child funerals taking place in England on or after 23 July 2019. All claims must be submitted within 6 months of the date of the funeral.

There are no nationality or residency requirements. Funding is available regardless of the income of the child’s parents, guardian or carer.

A claim may be rejected or not paid in full if it’s not considered to be reasonable. The technical guidance has more information how claims will be assessed.

2. Burial and cremation authority claims

2.1 Burial authorities

Burial authorities can claim from the CFF for their fees charged for the burial of a child. This is so that the burial can be provided free to parents or the family of the child at the point of need.

Burial authorities can claim their fees for (whether for the burial of a body or cremated remains):

• the burial plot and right of burial
  • a plot for the burial of a body should be appropriate to the size of the child. However, if the responsible person wishes to purchase an adult sized plot for the purpose of being buried with the child in future, this may also be considered reasonable
  • a double or family plot may only be considered reasonable if a single plot is not available or the fee for a double plot is cheaper than the fee for a single plot
• carrying out the burial
• maintenance of the plot
  • this is only allowable where this is a condition of the right of burial, until the time when the child, if alive, would have reached the age of 18
• renewal of the right of burial
  • this is only allowable if the right of burial expires before the time when the child, if alive, would have reached the age of 18
• permission to erect a memorial (including a headstone)
  • this does not include the price of a memorial or headstone
• a third-party grave digger, where required

Burial authorities should download, complete and sign the appropriate form and email or post it, with copies of the required supporting documents, to:

cff@gov.sscl.com

CFF
Sortation Ref 603
Phoenix House
Newport
NP10 8FZ

You need to include copies of the certificate for burial or cremation and your relevant invoices or receipts. You should also include the burial plot lease, if claiming for fees for the maintenance of the plot.

If you need help with your claim you can email cff@gov.sscl.com. You can also request a paper version of the form.

2.2 Cremation authorities

Cremation authorities can claim from the CFF for their fees charged for the cremation of a child. This is so that the cremation can be provided free to parents or the family of the child at the point of need.

Cremation authorities can claim their fees for (whether or not followed by the burial of cremated remains):

• carrying out the cremation
• scattering of cremated remains
• storage of cremated remains in a columbarium or similar facility
  • this is only allowable until the time when the child, if alive, would have reached the age of 18
• completion of the certification to authorise the cremation
• a private post-mortem examination where required by the medical referee for the cremation to be authorised
• permission to erect a memorial (including a headstone)
  • this does not include the price of a memorial or headstone

Where cremation authorities are claiming for the fees for the burial of cremated remains, see the list of claimable fees for a burial.

Cremation authorities should download, complete and sign the appropriate form and email or post it, with copies of the required supporting documents, to:

cff@gov.sscl.com

CFF
Sortation Ref 603
Phoenix House
Newport
NP10 8FZ

You need to include copies of the certificate for burial or cremation and your relevant invoices.

If you need help with your claim you can email cff@gov.sscl.com. You can also request a paper version of the form.

3. Funeral director claims

Funeral directors, with contractual liability for organising the child’s burial or cremation (or a burial or cremation authority arranging the funeral themselves), can claim for:

• up to £300 towards a coffin, shroud, casket or other covering
• removal of implanted medical devices for a cremation
• completion of necessary cremation certificates on behalf of the medical professional
• container for storing ashes in a columbarium or similar (if the one returned to the bereaved family is unsuitable for this)
• fees charged by a third-party grave digger (where these are not claimed by the burial or cremation authority)

Expenses can include VAT. Payment of claims will be at the retail price, that is, the cost that would have been charged directly to the family if CFF funding was not available.

Funeral directors may not claim for the fees charged for the burial or cremation.

Funeral directors should download, complete and sign the appropriate form and email or post it, with copies of the required supporting documents, to:

cff@gov.sscl.com

CFF
Sortation Ref 603
Phoenix House
Newport
NP10 8FZ

You need to include copies of the certificate for burial or cremation (if you have it) and your relevant invoices or receipts.

If you need help with your claim you can email cff@gov.sscl.com. You can also request a paper version of the form.

4. Parents, families or other responsible person claims

If the person responsible for organising the burial or cremation does not use a funeral director but makes the funeral arrangements themselves, they may need to pay for some of the specific associated expenses first. They can claim reimbursement for these from the CFF, but through a different process. Do not use the forms here.

The responsible person will need to pay for any additional expenses not covered by the CFF. If the responsible person is eligible, they can make a claim to the Funeral Expenses Payment (FEP) scheme.

5. The CFF and the Funeral Expenses Payment scheme

People getting certain benefits can apply to the Funeral Expenses Payment (FEP) scheme or to the equivalent Scottish Funeral Support Payment (FSP) scheme for funeral expenses not included under the CFF, or where a claim to the CFF is rejected in full or in part. They may also apply to the FEP scheme or FSP scheme for any amount paid above the CFF contribution of £300 towards a coffin, shroud or casket.

A payment cannot be made from the FEP scheme or FSP scheme for anything covered by the CFF, and if payment has already been made from the CFF.

Similarly, a payment cannot be made from the CFF where payment has already been made for the same fee or expense from the FEP scheme or FSP scheme.

6. How claims are processed

The claim team will let you know they’ve received your claim within 5 working days of receipt.

They’ll then process your claim within a further 15 working days and let you know the outcome. You’ll be notified of the outcome by email or in writing, as selected in your claim form.

If the decision maker for the claim has all the information they need, payment will usually be made to you within 5 working days of the date of the decision.

They’ll contact you if there’s anything missing. If this happens, your claim may take longer to process.

A claim could be partially rejected, for example due to missing or incorrect information. If this happens, you’ll be notified and told what to do next.

The decision maker for the claim will check that the costs are reasonable. A claim may be rejected in full or in part if the decision maker is not satisfied that the costs are reasonable in the circumstances they were incurred.

7. Expenses for faith-based requirements

CFF funding is available regardless of religious faith. However, CFF funding is not available for items exclusively for the requirements of the religious faith of the child, parents, guardian or carer that fall outside the expenses covered by the CFF.

8. Funerals without a body

Where there’s no body for burial or cremation, CFF funding is available for the fees charged for the permission to erect a memorial. If a body is recovered after the initial claim has been paid, a further claim can be made for the eligible fees and associated expenses.

9. Appeals

If a claim is rejected in full or in part, you can request a review of the decision. The request must be made within 28 days of the date of the decision.

The request must be made by email to cff@justice.gov.uk or by post to:

The Coroners, Burials, Cremations and Inquiries Casework Team
Ministry of Justice
Post point 10.18
102 Petty France
London SW1H 9AJ

The person who made the claim must provide:

• their name and contact details
• the claim reference number
• a statement of the reasons for requesting a review

The request for a review will be acknowledged by email or post within 5 working days of the request being received.

The review decision will be sent by email or post within 28 days of the request being received.

If you’re not satisfied with the outcome of the review, you may appeal to the Social Entitlement Chamber.