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| PPC Terry Scriven |
I was recently asked to help a lady, who had been bereaved, in obtaining payment from the Social Fund for funeral expenses.
For readers who are not aware of this particular State assistance let me explain.
Should your partner die and you are receiving a State benefit and unable to pay the funeral costs, you can apply to get financial help from the Social Fund.
Jobcentre Plus, Milton Keynes, on behalf of the Government Department of Work and Pensions, administers this for the South.
A month later, despite the application being submitted correctly, the manager of Jobcentre Plus wrote back requesting confirmation the bill was still outstanding and to get in touch if further clarification was needed by phoning 0845 608 85080.
The delay had been caused by the Jobcentre Plus system and they needed to confirm the applicant had not already made payment to the Funeral Director since the date of application.
It evidently is quite normal, due to delays in processing payments, for some Funeral Directors to be so demanding for their money that the bereaved, already on benefit and emotionally down, have to borrow money to pay the funeral bills.
This of course causes further distress and places those who can least afford it into further debt.
Investigation identified a system in need of change. All application forms have to be sent by claimants through the Royal Mail system to the Jobcentre Plus sorting office in Watford.
Here they are date stamped, sorted and placed back into the Royal Mail system to the relevant Jobcentre Plus processing office, in our case Milton Keynes.
The mailing and sorting can take as long as10 days.
On arrival at the designated processing office there is further delay due to a significant backlog caused by the volume of applications and shortage of staff.
The added administrative requirement of confirming by post that applicants have not yet paid the funeral bills since they first applied for State funding creates further delays.
During the past week, the 0845 number was continually dialled.
On each occasion the following information was received. “Mobile phones and non BT lines are charged at the rate set by the Service Provider….. Sorry your call cannot be taken as all lines are busy please call later.
Imagine the cost and waste of time if you do not have a BT line and the frustration of those trying to get in touch to resolve outstanding payments for their loved ones funeral.
A letter confirming the request for payment has now been sent by post.
The cycle begins again and still no payment.
This surely is an unacceptable process for those in need and recently bereaved.
I should mention that the local Funeral Director has been very understanding despite not yet having had his bill paid.
The Staff I have dealt with in Jobcentre Plus have been extremely helpful and are clearly dedicated people but just cannot cope with a service in need of attention.
I have therefore written to the Minister for Work and Pensions to suggest a complete overhaul of the social fund funeral payment process as a matter of some urgency.
Please let me know if you have had similar experiences or indeed if the current system has worked well for you.
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