(Parliamentary
Under-Secretary of State for Justice): I am pleased
to announce that today the Social Fund (Children’s Funeral Fund
for England) Regulations 2019 are being laid before the House. It
is the Government’s intention that these Regulations will come
into effect on the 23rd July.
The laying of these regulations fulfils the Prime Minister’s
commitment to establish the Children’s Funeral Fund for England
(the “CFF”).
No parent should ever have to endure the unbearable loss of a
child. Whilst recognising that nothing can ever truly heal the
pain of such a loss, it is right that the Government ensures that
all families who lose a child are given the support they need.
Under the CFF, bereaved families will no longer have to meet the
fees charged for a cremation or burial of a child under the age
of 18. Rather, they will now be able to access this provision for
free at the point of need, with the costs being met by Government
funding and providers applying to the CFF for reimbursement. As a
further gesture of this Government’s commitment to supporting
bereaved people, families in England will also be provided with a
contribution of up to £300 towards the price of a coffin (or
shroud or casket, where preferred), and will meet other specified
expenses.
The CFF marks a key milestone in the delivery of the Government’s
manifesto commitment to provide bereaved parents with the support
they need. Its provision will be universal, available to all
bereaved parents in England who have lost a child regardless of
their means. It is also intended to complement other measures
such as the Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Act 2018, which
received Royal Assent last September and is expected to apply
from April 2020.
We have worked closely across Government to ensure that the CFF
is compatible with other relevant measures and will continue to
work with Devolved Administrations to ensure coordination with
their own equivalent schemes. In particular, I have worked
closely with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for
Family Support, Housing and Child Maintenance, and officials in
the Department for Work and Pensions in order to ensure the CFF’s
compatibility with the Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payment
scheme.
In developing the CFF, we have engaged with a range of interested
parties from across the funeral services sector, whose insight
and expertise continue to be invaluable to ensuring the
successful implementation of the CFF. I am also grateful for the
continued support offered to bereaved families by the wider
funeral industry. I hope that the CFF will be a welcome addition
to the existing free provision which is already made available
for families who have suffered the loss of a child.
In conclusion, I would like to pay tribute to the tireless work
of the Honourable Member for Swansea East in bringing this
important issue to the Government’s attention. Drawing on her own
experience, she has led a courageous campaign to secure this
additional support for all those families who, tragically, face
the burden of losing a child. As the Prime Minister has said, it
is in memory of the Honourable Member’s own son, Martin, that the
CFF is being established.
