Scottish Government consultation on funeral expense assistance

Scottish SAIF Government Liaison Office, Jim Brodie, has advised Scottish members that the Scottish Government Consultation on Funeral Expense Assistance Regulations was recently published. This consultation will run for 14 weeks and will close on the 23^rd August. (Do not leave it until then please.)

As announced at the last Scottish SAIF meeting, it is imperative that independent funeral firms engage and take part. We have over 100 members and we would encourage as many staff / managers to respond as well as owners! The government holds great importance on these consultations and we would ask that you take the time to complete it to ensure the independent voice is heard.

We know just how busy you are, we are too, but this is important for everyone.  Please don’t put it off. Do it now! Use the link above to voice your opinions.

Consultation on Funeral Expense Assistance from the Scottish Government:

“This is a consultation on the draft regulations to implement Funeral Expense Assistance (FEA) which will replace the current UK Government Funeral Expenses Payment (more commonly known as the Funeral Payment) in Scotland by summer 2019. 

Funeral Expense Assistance will provide a one off payment to support people on low income benefits who need to pay for a funeral. This is intended to reduce the burden of debt they may face and so help to tackle funeral poverty.

The purpose of this consultation is to gather views on the draft Funeral Expense Assistance regulations and identify any gaps, issues or unintended consequences. We are also asking questions on some specific points about the effects of these regulations.  We would like to gather views from a range of organisations and individuals to ensure we have identified the best solution.

In addition to asking questions about the draft regulations we are also asking for views on the potential impacts of Funeral Expense Assistance on different groups and also on businesses.”