Child Funeral Fund Wales: Free Burial, Cremation, and the £500 Grant

When a child dies in Wales, the Welsh Government does not want the family to face a funeral bill. Since 2017, a Memorandum of Understanding between the Welsh Government, the Welsh Local Government Association, and One Voice Wales has committed all local authorities in Wales to waiving their burial and cremation fees for any child under the age of 18. On top of that, a £500 non-means-tested contribution toward associated funeral costs is available to every family whose child's death is registered in Wales — regardless of income.

This is a devolved Welsh policy. It does not exist in the same form in England, Scotland, or Northern Ireland. Families from England who lose a child while in Wales may also qualify if the death is registered in Wales.

This post explains what is covered, what is not covered, how to claim, and how the Welsh child funeral provision relates to other financial support that may be available.

What the Memorandum of Understanding Covers

The agreement covers local authority burial and cremation fees for any child under 18. This means:

• The crematorium or burial site charge — the facility fee — is waived entirely by the relevant Welsh local authority
• There is no income test or benefit requirement
• Any child's death registered in Wales qualifies, regardless of where the family lives

Cardiff Bereavement Services, for example, does not charge the cremation fee (normally £950 for a standard adult service) when the deceased is under 18. The same applies across all 22 Welsh local authorities that are parties to the Memorandum.

The £500 contribution toward associated costs — such as transport, coffin, or funeral director fees — is also available to all families without any means test. This contribution is administered separately from the facility fee waiver and requires a formal claim.

Claim deadline: 6 months from the date of the funeral. This is a hard deadline. Claims submitted after 6 months are rejected entirely. If you are in the immediate stages of grief and have not thought about the claim, it is worth asking a family member, social worker, or bereavement officer to flag the deadline for you.

What Is Not Covered

The waiver covers the local authority's own facility charges only. It does not cover:

• Funeral director fees (professional fee, collection of the child, coffin costs)
• Celebrant or minister
• Transport beyond standard local collection
• Flowers, stationery, or catering
• Headstone or memorial

These additional costs must still be paid by the family or covered through other financial support. For a child's funeral with a straightforward arrangement, total funeral director costs (excluding the facility fee) typically range from £1,000 to £2,500.

The £500 Contribution: How to Claim

The £500 Welsh Child Funeral Fund contribution is paid toward the costs beyond the waived facility fee. The mechanism for claiming varies by local authority — some administer it through the bereavement services team directly; others route it through a specific department.

To claim:

1. Contact the bereavement services team at the relevant local authority (the one that operates the crematorium or cemetery used)
2. Ask specifically for the Welsh Government Child Funeral Fund contribution
3. Provide proof of the child's age and death registration in Wales
4. Submit the claim within 6 months of the funeral

If you are unsure which department to contact, start with the local registrar's office — they will direct you to the right team.

The £500 is paid as a contribution toward costs already incurred or directly to the funeral director, depending on the local authority's process. Confirm the payment route when you make the claim.

How This Differs From the DWP Funeral Expenses Payment

The DWP Funeral Expenses Payment (FEP) is a separate, means-tested benefit available to people on qualifying benefits (Universal Credit, Income Support, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit, or Contribution-based JSA/ESA). It applies across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

The key differences between the Welsh Child Funeral Fund and the DWP FEP:

Both can be claimed simultaneously. A family on Universal Credit could claim the DWP FEP to cover the funeral director costs while also accessing the Welsh facility fee waiver and the £500 contribution.

If you are on qualifying benefits and the child died in Wales, you should claim both. The DWP FEP application is made using form SF200, available from the DWP website or Jobcentre Plus. The claim deadline for the DWP FEP is 3 months from the funeral date — shorter than the Welsh 6-month window.

If Your Income Is Not Low Enough for DWP Support

If you are not on qualifying benefits but cannot absorb the full cost of a child's funeral, several options exist in Wales:

Funeral director payment plans. Some funeral directors offer extended payment terms. This is not advertised but is available at many firms on request, particularly for child deaths. Ask the funeral director directly.

Charity assistance. A small number of charities assist specifically with child funeral costs, including the Child Death Helpline and some hospice-linked charities. These are separate from government schemes.

The Welsh facility fee waiver still applies regardless of income. Even if you cannot claim DWP support and do not need charity assistance, you are still entitled to the local authority fee waiver and the £500 contribution. These are not means-tested.

Bereavement Support Payment

If the parent of a child who died is also dealing with the recent death of a spouse or civil partner, the Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) may also be relevant. The higher rate of BSP — a lump sum of £3,500 plus £350 per month for 18 months — is payable to surviving spouses or civil partners who are entitled to Child Benefit or were pregnant at the time of the death.

This is a separate claim to the child funeral fund and applies to the adult bereavement rather than the child's death. The DWP administers BSP claims through the bereavement benefits line.

Practical Steps for Families in Wales

If your child has died in Wales:

1. Register the death at the local Register Office as soon as the Medical Examiner has completed their review
2. Contact the bereavement services team at your local authority before finalizing funeral arrangements, so they can confirm what is waived
3. Notify your funeral director that the facility fee should be invoiced to the local authority rather than to you personally
4. Submit the £500 contribution claim before the 6-month deadline
5. If you receive qualifying benefits, submit the DWP SF200 form before the 3-month deadline

For the full legal and financial framework governing child funerals in Wales — including the Welsh Government's specific policy documents, DWP benefit eligibility rules, and a complete step-by-step checklist — the Wales Funeral Laws & Consumer Rights Guide covers every aspect of this process in detail.

No Welsh family should bear the facility costs of a child's funeral. If you are a social worker, bereavement counsellor, or hospital chaplain working with affected families, the above entitlements are automatic — but they are not automatically claimed. Proactively directing families to the local authority bereavement services team within the first week after the death is the single most important practical step you can take.

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