Deaths, funerals, cremations and cemeteries

Get help with funeral costs

Funeral Expenses Payment

If you are:

  • The partner of the deceased when they died
  • A close relative or close friend of the deceased
  • The parent of a baby stillborn after 24 weeks of pregnancy
  • The parent or person responsible for a deceased child who was under 16 (or under 20 and in approved education or training)

And cannot afford to pay for a funeral, and are in receipt of certain welfare benefits, it is possible that you will qualify for financial help to cover the costs. 

Funeral Expenses Payment can help pay for some of the costs of the following:

  • Burial fees for a particular plot
  • Cremation fees, including the cost of the doctor’s certificate
  • Travel to arrange or go to the funeral
  • The cost of moving the body within the UK, if it’s being moved more than 50 miles
  • Death certificates or other documents
  • You can also get money for any other funeral expenses, such as funeral director’s fees, flowers or the coffin

For more information, you should contact the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), or visit their funeral payments page.

Telephone: 0800 731 0469
Welsh language: 0800 731 0453
Textphone: 0800 731 0464
Welsh language textphone: 0800 731 0456
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0469
Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 3.30pm

Public Health Funerals

In some circumstances, the Council must take responsibility for arranging funerals. These circumstances include where no suitable funeral arrangements have been made, or are being made for a deceased person. This comes under the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984.

When this happens, the Council will first seek monies from the deceased person’s estate to pay for the funeral.  If there are not enough monies to pay for the funeral, the Council will arrange a Public Health Funeral through a contract it has with a local funeral director.  

This is a dignified but simple funeral that minimises the cost to the local taxpayer. All family and friends can attend the funeral if they wish to do so.

Unless specific instructions from the deceased have been found, it will be a cremation at Rotherham Crematorium. 

Please note that if you have already made arrangements with a funeral director, or the funeral has already taken place, the Council will not take responsibility for the funeral by part- funding the costs, nor will it be responsible for any costs incurred.

If you are:

  • the relative of the person who has died
  • cannot afford to pay for a funeral
  • are in receipt of certain welfare benefits

It is possible that you will qualify for financial help to cover the cost. For more information on this, you should contact the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) on one of the following numbers, or visit their funeral payments page.

  • Telephone: 0800 169 0140
  • Textphone: 0800 169 0286
  • Welsh language: 0800 169 0240

Telephone lines open from Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

If it is established that you are not eligible for a DWP Funeral Expenses Payment, please contact the Council’s Adult Social Care Customer Contact Team to discuss Public Health Funerals.

The Adult Social Care Customer Contact Team can be contacted by: