DEBATE ON FUNERAL POVERTY

Once again I participated in a debate on funeral poverty.

Funeral poverty is a cruel and bitter obstacle to the grieving process

Understandably, when a family loses a loved one, through the shock and bewilderment of grief the instinct is to give the loved one a fitting, dignified send off. Therefore, cost often becomes, through the fog of grief, a secondary consideration.

However, 12% of people get into debt to fund the cost of a loved one’s funeral which can become a financial burden that interferes with the grieving process.

Too many people who struggle to afford to live, often find they cannot afford to die.

For those struggling to pay bills funeral plans are simply not realistic and over-50 plans can mean those on low incomes pay thousands and thousands of pounds over many years with the full amount paid never recovered by families when they have paid in more money than the funeral actually costs.

Respinsibility for funeral payments have been devolved to the Scottish Parliament and, under the SNP Government, a more rounded, compassionate approach to funeral poverty will be put in place from 2019.

For more details on this, and to hear my contribution, please click on the link below.