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Funeral Assistance Program - Department for Families & Communities (Communities Direct)(formerly Funeral Payment - Children, Youth & Family Services (CYFS))
Fax
Email
Contact
Local Families SA (formerly Children, Youth and Family Services, CYFS) office
Hours
Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm (excluding public holidays)
Eligibility
All of the following criteria must be met:, The deceased was a Centrelink or Department of Veterans' Affairs beneficiary or proof is provided of low income and the estate of the deceased will not cover the cost of the funeral, No immediate relatives (defined specifically as being spouse, mother, father, son or daughter and excluding siblings) have accessible assets of $3,000 or more, No immediate relatives are employed, or they are in the receipt of an income at a level recognised by Centrelink as below their low-income threshold, Must provide proof of assets and low income with application ie. bank statements, Centrelink statements, pensioner card
Comment
Before funeral arrangements are made, an advocate or family member should contact their local Families SA office or the Funeral Assistance Program, tel. 1300 762 577, fax 8226 7047, There is provision for some assistance to pay an outstanding account if the funeral has already occurred and the family is having difficulties paying the account (refer 'Application', below)
Application
- The client (or an advocate ) will need to contact a Families SA office for a financial assessment
- If application successful, Funeral Assistance Program SA will advise the family/advocate initially before advising the contracted funeral company who will, in turn, contact the family/advocate to make funeral arrangements
- If the funeral has already occurred and the family is finding it difficult to pay outstanding account, they may apply for an After the Event Grant which provides for a maximun of $625 in assistance. While the eligibility criteria is similar to the above, the total funeral account is a Medicare cost, and there must be an existing debt to the funeral company of $625 or more
Services
- DFC SA provides cremation only unless a burial is required for cultural reasons or a person is unable to be identified or there is an existing plot already owned by family, the funeral home fees, a basic coffin, one service, cremation fees, legally required documentation (not including a Death Certificate), the hearse, religious minister or celebrant, normal transfers of the deceased and one standard funeral notice, headstone/plaque or internment of ashes is supplied. Transportation costs may be considered where an Aboriginal person is culturally required to be transported to their homelands for burial
- Friends and family may agree to pay the additional cost of any 'extras' such as weekend services, Death Notices, flowers, cards/condolence books, mourning cars, viewings or the disposal of ashes. However if these costs exceed $500, the Funeral Payment Scheme will not apply
