Bereaved parents will no longer have to pay the cost of their child’s burial or cremation after the Children’s Funeral Fund for England officially opened.
The launch of the new fund comes after a commitment by the former Prime Minister Theresa May to help ease the financial burden for grieving parents, and follows a cross-party campaign led by Carolyn Harris MP after the tragic death of her eight-year-old son.
The scheme is available regardless of a family’s income or savings, and will cover costs for all children who die under 18 and stillbirths after the 24th week of pregnancy.
Through the scheme, funeral providers will be able to directly claim burial or cremation fees, as well as a contribution towards the cost of a coffin, so that parents no longer need to worry about funding these expenses at a time when they are grieving. Parents can also apply directly to the scheme if they decide not to use a funeral director.
A specialist clinical negligence solicitor with Sydney Mitchell, said, “Losing a child is the worst thing that can ever happen to a parent. No bereaved parent should ever have to worry about how to meet the cost of their child’s funeral just at point when they are trying to come to terms with their loss. This move is to be welcomed.”
Information on how to use the scheme is available at https://www.gov.uk/child-funeral-costs
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