Benefits announced to tackle "funeral poverty"

Angela Constance has unveiled new funeral support

New benefits to help Scots struggling with the soaring costs of funerals are to be introduced.

The new funeral expense assistance is expected to be brought in by September 2019 and is part of a raft of benefits being devolved to the Scottish Parliament from Westminster.

Equalities Minister Angela Constance unveiled the

measure as part of a ten-point plan to address the “growing issue” of people ending up in poverty due to funeral

expenses.

Other actions include introducing a funeral bond pilot scheme to assist savers, publishing guidance on funeral costs by December 2018 and strengthening consumer protection on funeral plans.

In 2016, the basic cost of a burial, excluding under-

takers’ fees, was £1,373, up 8 per cent on the previous year, Citizens Advice Scotland found. There were big differences in price across the country, with Edinburgh the most expensive council area at £2,253 and the Western Isles the cheapest at £701.