Funeral Grant

If you are the deceased person's partner or parent/guardian, your annual income must be below a certain amount.

If you are the deceased person's partner

If you are:	Your annual income (before tax) must be less than:
16 - 17 years (with no children)	$30,386.72
18+ years (with no children)	$34,922.68
A parent with 1 child	$42,377.40
A parent with 2 or more children	$44,646.68

If you are the deceased person's parent/guardian

If you are:	Your annual income (before tax) must be less than:
Single, 16 - 17 years (with no other children)	$30,386.72
Single, 18+ years (with no other children)	$34,922.68
Married, in a civil union or de facto relationship (with or without other children)	$50,725.48
Single with 1 other child	$42,377.40
Single with 2 or more other children	$44,646.68

We'll look at the assets of:

• the deceased person, and
• the deceased person's partner or parent/guardian.

If you are the deceased person's partner or parent/guardian, there are some family and personal assets that we don't count as assets.

We'll compare the amount of assets to the total funeral expenses. Funeral expenses include:

• professional services to prepare the body for cremation or burial
• cost of a casket
• newspaper notice costs
• hearse fees
• compulsory fees for the purchase of a burial plot
• cremation fees.

Deceased person's assets

If the person who died has assets, we'll count the total amount of their assets. We'll then deduct this from the total funeral expenses.

For example:

1. Their assets are $1,500.
2. The total funeral expenses are $2,000.
3. We deduct the assets from the funeral expenses ($2,000-$1,500).
4. The difference is $500.
5. We'll pay $500 for the Funeral Grant.

The maximum Funeral Grant payment is $2,445.37. We can only pay up to this amount, even if the difference is more than that.

You are the deceased person's partner or parent/guardian

If you have assets, we'll count:

• some of your assets (we won't count the first $2,131.73 of your assets), and
• the total amount of the deceased person's assets.

For example:

1. Your assets are $2,500. We won't count the first $2,131.73. This means we'll count $368.27 of your assets.
2. This is added to the deceased person's total asset amount. So if the deceased person's assets are $1,500, the total amount of assets will be $1,868.27.
3. We deduct the assets from the funeral expenses. If the funeral expenses are $2,000, the difference is $131.73.
4. We'll pay $131.73 for the Funeral Grant.

The maximum Funeral Grant payment is $2,445.37. We can only pay up to this amount, even if the difference is more than that.

The most you can be paid is $2,445.37. It depends on the money or assets the person who died had.

The Funeral Grant can be used towards costs such as:

• professional services for preparing the body for cremation or burial (for example, embalming)
• the cost of a casket
• newspaper notice costs
• hearse fees
• compulsory fees for buying a burial plot, and
• cremation fees.

There are some costs it can't be used for. If you want to check if a cost can be included, call us.

The person applying for a Funeral Grant must be able to provide estate details or other information about the person who has died (including details about any children they are responsible for).

Step 1: Complete the form

You need to complete an application form to apply for a Funeral Grant.

Step 2: Gather your documents

You will need to provide:

• confirmation of death, e.g., a death certificate (you can order this online here), or a newspaper death notice. If you don’t have one, please tell us, as we may be able to get this information.
• details of the funeral expenses:
  • the itemised funeral account, and
  • if it's already paid, the original receipt and proof of a bank account number for the person who paid it.
• proof of who you are e.g.:
  • driver's licence
  • passport, or
  • business card if you are applying on behalf of a funeral home.

You may also need to provide details about assets and income.

Step 3: Send in your documents

Drop the completed form and your documents off at one of our service centres, or you can post it in to us.