Vol. 407 No. 1
203 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will list the categories in respect of whom a death grant is payable; his views on whether his Department, immediately on being informed of the death of a qualifying social welfare claimant or social welfare dependant, should automatically initiate arrangements for the payment of the death grant without any further application; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
A death grant under the Social Welfare Acts is payable on the death of any of the following categories of persons provided the qualifying contribution conditions are satisfied:
(a) an insured person
(b) the wife or husband of an insured person
(c) the widow or widower of an insured person
(d) a child under 18 years of an insured person.
The manner of claiming a death grant is set out in statutory regulations. A person claiming the grant is required to complete a claim form and furnish evidence of death of the person in respect of whom the grant is claimed, that is, a death certificate or newspaper cutting with the death announcement or a receipt for funeral expenses. Claim forms are available from local post offices, local offices of my Department and the Department's headquarters.
The arrangements for the administration of the death grants scheme have operated satisfactorily since the scheme was first introduced over 20 years ago. The claiming procedures are not onerous, claims are normally processed without delay and payment is generally made within a week or so of receipt of the claim.
