28/04/2020
(updated 29/08/2020)
Published by KhShahi
At the moment, it’s not possible to have a funeral service for our loved ones in the traditional way. A limit of between five and ten members of the immediate family can attend and this in itself is far too distressing for many. We need to look at an alternative way of remembering our loved ones and celebrating their life.
We could conduct a conference memorial service via Skype or WhatsApp, or we could celebrate their life while isolating at home the same way. Technology being what it is today means that it may be possible to view a funeral service online, remotely, instead of attending in person. As such, it could also be recorded to watch at a more convenient time. We have to do the best we can at this difficult time… If you should ever find yourself in a position where someone has died, either in your family, or a member of the public, from COVID-19, you should keep well away from the deceased. You should call the doctor, or 111, or an out of hours number. You should also call 999.
15/04/2020
(updated 15/05/2020)
Published by KhShahi
Financial and emotional support: The friends and family that are left behind can face difficult times ahead coping with the death along with the financial worries if that extra income is lost to the house hold, the deceased did not have a funeral plan or insurance set in place. (more copy to come for this page)
Benefits: You may be entitled to receive some benefits when you lose a loved one within the family. A great resource for this of course in the direct.gov website where you can check your eligibility and process your claim. Here is a few of the benefits that you may be entitled to:
Bereavement Payment (One off payments of £2,000) before 6th April 2017
You may be able to get Bereavement Payment if, when your husband, wife or civil partner died, you were either:
under State Pension age
over State Pension age and your husband, wife or civil partner wasn’t entitled to a State Pension based on their own national insurance contributions
Additionally, your husband, wife or civil partner must have either:
paid enough National Insurance contributions
died because an industrial accident or disease
Bereavement Support Payment (monthly payments) after 6th April 2017
You may be able to get Bereavement Support Payment if your husband, wife or civil partner died on or after 6 April 2017.
You could be eligible if your partner either:
paid National Insurance contributions for at least 25 weeks
died because of an accident at work or a disease caused by work