Funeral Grant
A Funeral Grant can help with some of the funeral costs of someone who has died.
A Funeral Grant can only be used towards reasonable funeral expenses. Some examples of reasonable funeral expenses are:
- any professional services fees charged by a funeral director
- the cost of a casket
- death certificate
- newspaper notice costs
- hearse fees
- burial costs (including plot and interment)
- cremation fees
- venue hire
- food and catering including kai for a tangihanga
- flowers
- celebrant, minister or clergy fees
- a slideshow or photo tribute.
You do not have to pay back a Funeral Grant if all the criteria are met (under 'Who can get it').
If we can't confirm income or asset amounts when you apply, we may still pay a Funeral Grant and confirm the amounts later. If the income or asset criteria is not met later, you will have to pay the money back.
Who can get it
You may be able to get a Funeral Grant if the person who's died is:
- your partner
- your parent or guardian
- your child (if they're under 18), or
- someone over 18 and single (with or without children) who you're arranging a funeral for.
In all cases, the person who died must have normally lived in New Zealand.
If the person who's died is your partner or child, it will also depend on your income.
We'll also make sure the reasonable funeral expenses cannot be met by:
- the assets of the deceased person, and
- your assets, if the person who died was your partner or child.
Income limits
If the person who's died is your partner or child, your income needs to be under a certain limit.
Definition of Income (MAP)external
If the person who's died is your partner
| If you are: | Your annual income (before tax) must be less than: |
|---|---|
| 16 - 17 years (with no children) | $33,518.68 |
| 18+ years (with no children) | $38,522.12 |
| A parent with one child | $46,745.92 |
| A parent with 2 or more children | $49,248.68 |
If the person who's died is your child
| If you are: | Your annual income (before tax) must be less than: |
|---|---|
| Single, 16 - 17 years (with no other children) | $33,518.68 |
| Single, 18+ years (with no other children) | $38,522.12 |
| In a relationship (with or without children) | $55,954.08 |
| Single with 1 other child | $46,745.92 |
| Single with 2 or more other children | $49,248.68 |
When you can't get a Funeral Grant
If there's other help with costs available to you, you may not be able to get a Funeral Grant.
Other help could be that funeral costs are covered by:
- another organisation, e.g. ACC or Veteran's Affairs
- prepaid funeral cover.
How much you can get
The most you can be paid is $2,697.43.
If the person who died is not your partner or child
If the person who died has assets, we'll count the total amount of their assets. We'll then deduct this from the total funeral expenses.
We'll then pay the lesser amount of either the:
- maximum Funeral Grant, or
- balance of the reasonable funeral expenses.
What's counted as assets
Find out what's counted as assets (Manuals and Procedures)external
If we've kept their payments going for 28 days, this is also counted as an asset.
If the person who died is your partner or child
We'll count:
- some of your assets (we won't count the first $2,351.46 of your assets), and
- the total amount of the deceased person's assets.
We'll deduct the total amount of assets from the total amount of reasonable funeral expenses.
We'll then pay the lesser amount of either the:
- maximum Funeral Grant, or
- balance of the reasonable funeral expenses.
What's counted as assets
Find out what's counted as assets (Manuals and Procedures)external
If we've kept their payments going for 28 days, this is also counted as an asset.
How to apply
The person applying for a Funeral Grant must be able to provide estate details or other information about the person who has died (including details about any children they are responsible for).
Step 1: Complete the form
You need to complete an application form to apply for a Funeral Grant.
Step 2: Gather your documents
You will need to provide:
- confirmation of death (if you don’t have this, please tell us as we may be able to get this information), for example:
- a death certificate (you can order this online here)
- funeral director confirmation, or
- a newspaper death notice.
- details of the funeral expenses:
- the itemised funeral account, and
- if it's already paid, the original receipt and proof of a bank account number for the person who paid it.
- proof of who you are, for example your:
- driver's licence
- passport, or
- business card if you're applying on behalf of a funeral home.
Order certificates (NZ Government)external
You may also need to provide details about assets and income.
Step 3: Send in your documents
Drop the completed form and your documents off at one of our service centres, or you can post it in to us.