Paying the Price of Death: the challenges for British state funeral policy by Liam Foster and Kate Woodthorpe

Paying the Price of Death: the challenges for British state funeral policy Dr Liam Foster, University of Sheffield and Dr Kate Woodthorpe, University of Bath Social Aspects of Death, Dying and Bereavement Study Group Symposium Monday 21 st November 2011

Overview of the presentation today
Origins of our interest(s)
Background
Why it matters now
Funeral Payments Scheme (FPS)
Issues with the FPS
Where to go next

Origins
Liam: pensions, welfare state, equality
Kate: funerals, bereavement, commercialisation
= funerals and the welfare state!
= exploratory paper in progress

Background
Drakeford (1998) ‘Last Rights? Funerals, poverty and social exclusion’, Journal of Social Policy , 27 (4): 507-524
Corden, A., Hirst, M. and Nice, K. (2008) Financial Implications of Death of a Partner (University of York: Social Policy Research Unit)
Both pointing to lack of academic/policy consideration of financial implications of death

Why does it matter now?
491,348 deaths in England and Wales in 2009
Lowest ever recorded
Estimated that from 2012 mortality rate will begin to rise
Anticipated increase 17% over 18 years
Side note: uneven distribution of deaths around the country
Eg. London has a very ‘young’ population

Alongside….
Changes to funding of social care
More onus on individual responsibility for paying for care
Threatened pensions and investments
Higher debt burden in younger generation(s)
The result? Higher levels of undersaving for pensions, limited resources to draw on, poverty potential

What are the implications?
How will an individual with limited/no immediate resources pay for a funeral?
What does/will the State provide?
In addition, what will be the load on the local authorities with older populations?

The role of the State
1940s Welfare State established, two forms of support available.
Universal Death Grant (£20)
National assistance (discretionary assistance)
1979 Conservative Government changes to supplementary benefits, Single Payments introduced in 1981
Single payments absorbed into the Social Fund in 1988

The Social Fund
Administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (prior to 2001 Department of Social Security)
Intended to target benefits for those most in need
Includes Winter Fuel Payments, Funeral Payments Scheme, Community Care Grant

Funeral Payments Scheme (FPS)
1988/89: 40,000 applications
1995: criteria for application changed, specifically who could apply
Cap on funeral director fees introduced
1997: ‘liable relative’ rule changed
If relative found who was not on benefits, then application from someone on benefits was not allowed

The FPS today
41,000 applications successful
= 60% success rate
OR 40% unsuccessful in their application
Average payment = £1200 (including dispersement costs)

What are the issues?
Who claims?
50%+ claimed by people of pensionable age (Corden et al, 2008)
Pensioner poverty in UK already established concern (see Scharf, 2009)
Is it enough?
Average cost of funeral £2500
FPS capped at £700 + dispersement costs

Further issues?
Sources of information
Friends and family
Jobcentre
Directgov.uk
Funeral directors
Who should be providing information?
Are claims resolved quickly enough?
In 2011 NAFD claimed that a funeral had been delayed by 9 weeks
Detrimental consequences? (see Corden et al, 2008)

Where to go next?
Academic focus on funerals/bereavement more generally has assumed resources are readily available for bereaved people
And (unwittingly?) not considered bereavement as an issue related to socio-economic background/class? (see Howarth, 2007)
Stigma associated with label of ‘pauper’
Does it exist?
Introduction of new package of bereavement support by DWP
Does not include Social Fund
Role of local authority
Regional variation?

In sum
Death, especially funerals, not regarded as social policy priority
Research needed into the process and experience of applying to the FPS?
Further research on the legacy of the Victorian pauper in contemporary social policy?

Thank you for your time today
Any questions or feedback?
[email_address]
[email_address]

Paying the Price of Death: the challenges for British state funeral policy by Liam Foster and Kate Woodthorpe

by British Sociological Association on Jan 03, 2012

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Paying the Price of Death: the challenges for British state funeral policy by Liam Foster and Kate Woodthorpe — Presentation Transcript