Funeral Grant Factsheet
A funeral grant may help with some of the funeral costs of someone who has died.
Who can get a Funeral Grant
You may get a Funeral Grant if you are:
- the partner, spouse, child, parent or guardian of the deceased person
- arranging the funeral of someone with no partner, spouse or child.
The Funeral Grant is income and asset tested. The test depends on whether the deceased has a surviving partner or dependant child, or if the deceased is a child.
The deceased person must normally have lived in New Zealand.
What the grant covers
We can help with necessary costs such as:
- professional services for preparing the body for cremation or burial, eg embalming
- the cost of a casket
- newspaper notice costs
- hearse fees
- compulsory fees for buying a burial plot
- cremation fees.
There are some costs we can’t help with, so please talk to us about your individual circumstances.
How to apply
You will need to complete an application and provide:
- proof of death, eg a death certificate
- proof of funeral expenses
- proof of assets as at the date of death, eg bank statements for all accounts
- proof of income – if you are the partner or parent of the person who has died
- identification for yourself.
Contact us to talk about your circumstances. We’ll explain more about how to apply and arrange a meeting with you.