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UNDERSTANDING FUNERAL GRANTS: HELPING FAMILIES DURING A DIFFICULT TIME

Losing a loved one is never easy, and dealing with the expenses of a funeral can make it even harder. That’s where a Funeral Grant comes in. It’s a helping hand from WINZ to assist with some of the costs of laying someone to rest.  The following information is correct pursuant to WINZ website as at 15 May 2024.

Who can get it:

If someone close to you has passed away, you might be able to get a Funeral Grant if you’re their partner, child, or parent/guardian (if they’re under 18). Even if you’re not one of these, you could still be eligible if you’re arranging the funeral for a single person who was 18 or older.

Income and assets:

Your income and assets, as well as those of the deceased person, play a role in determining if you qualify for a Funeral Grant.

If you are the deceased person’s partner:

If you are the deceased person’s parent/guardian:

WINZ looks at the assets of:

• the deceased person, and
• the deceased person’s partner or parent/guardian.

If you are the deceased person’s partner or parent/guardian, there are some family and personal assets that don’t count as assets. Find out what’s counted as assets

WINZ compares the amount of assets to the total funeral expenses. Funeral expenses include:

• professional services to prepare the body for cremation or burial
• cost of a casket
• newspaper notice costs
• hearse fees
• compulsory fees for the purchase of a burial plot
• cremation fees.

Deceased person’s assets

If the person who died has assets, WINZ counts the total amount of their assets.  WINZ then deducts this from the total funeral expenses.

For example:

1. Their assets are $1,500.
2. The total funeral expenses are $3,000.
3. We deduct the assets from the funeral expenses ($3,000 minus $1,500).
4. The difference is $1,500.
5. We’ll pay $1,500 for the Funeral Grant.

The maximum Funeral Grant payment is $2,559.20.  WINZS can only pay up to this amount, even if the difference is more than that.

You are the deceased person’s partner or parent/guardian

If you have assets, WINZ counts:

• some of your assets (they won’t count the first $2,230.96 of your assets), and
• the total amount of the deceased person’s assets.

For example:

1. Your assets are $2,500. WINZ won’t count the first $2,230.96. This means WINZ counts $269.04 of your assets.
2. This is added to the deceased person’s total asset amount. So if the deceased person’s assets are $1,500, the total amount of assets will be $1,769.04.
3. WINZ deducts the assets from the funeral expenses. If the funeral expenses are $3,000, the difference is $1230.96.
4. WINZ will pay $1,230.96 for the Funeral Grant.

The maximum Funeral Grant payment is $2,559.20. WINZ can only pay up to this amount, even if the difference is more than that.

When you can’t get it:

Sometimes, funeral costs can be covered by other organizations like ACC or Veteran’s Affairs, or through prepaid funeral cover. If there’s already help available to cover the costs, you might not be able to get a Funeral Grant.

How much you can get:

The maximum amount you can receive is $2,559.20, depending on the money or assets the person who passed away had. This money can be used for things like preparing the body for cremation or burial, buying a casket, newspaper notices, hearse fees, burial plot fees, and cremation fees.

Here is a link to  Funeral Grant – Work and Income