John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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406. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an application submitted to the local welfare office in Kilkenny in May 2024 relative to the cost of the funeral of a person (details supplied) who has no known relatives will be approved; if the funeral directors will be paid directly; if she will expedite the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41368/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, my Department may make an Additional Needs Payment (ANP) to help meet essential expenditure which an eligible person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income. An ANP application can be made for assistance with funeral and burial expenses where there is an inability to pay these costs, in part or in full, by the family of the deceased person without causing hardship.

According to Departmental records, no application for assistance towards funeral expenses for the deceased person has been received. An application for this type of assistance must be made by the deceased person’s next of kin or the person who arranged the funeral.

If the Deputy wishes to advise my Department of the personal representative who arranged the funeral, a SWA pack can be sent to the person concerned. When a completed application form and all the necessary supporting documentation has been returned to my Department, the claim can be progressed, and the applicant will be advised of the outcome in writing. If the application is successful, the payment can be made directly to the Funeral Director.

The primary consideration when determining whether to undertake an arranged burial is whether a next of kin or other person is willing to make suitable arrangements for the burial of the deceased. A SWA1 form should be completed in respect of arranged burials, in conjunction with any relevant supporting documentation.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.