Patricia Ryan
Question:470. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the bereavement grant of €850 that was abolished in 2014 will be restored; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23512/20]
View answerTuesday, 15 September 2020
Questions (470)
Written answers
The Bereavement Grant was a payment of €850 made where the deceased or his/her surviving partner was an insured contributor to the social insurance fund. Any decision to reinstate it would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
There are a range of supports available for people following bereavement which provide more significant support than the previous bereavement grant. These include weekly-paid widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner’s (contributory and non-contributory) pensions, which are based on contributions or a means test, and a once-off widowed or surviving civil partner grant of €6,000 where there is a dependent child. A number of social welfare payments, including State pension, continue in payment for six weeks following a death. In Budget 2016, the Government increased the payment after death period to 12 weeks for carer’s allowance. Guardian payments are available where someone cares for an orphaned child. A special funeral grant of €850 is paid where a person dies because of an accident at work or occupational disease.
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet from his/her weekly income, which may include help with funeral and burial expenses. This is a more targeted and efficient manner of assisting people with bereavement expenses. In 2019 over 2,900 ENPs were paid at a cost of €5.8 million towards funeral and burial expenses.
My Department has provided funding of up to €60,000 in Budget 2020 to support the Irish Hospice Foundation who are currently carrying out a research project into the economics of bereavement in Ireland. I await the outcome of their research and findings in this important area.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.