Family struggles to bury their mother after DWP rejects funeral grant application. Sons are unable to afford costs.
Firefighters had to enter her home before the hospital transfer. She went to Salford Royal hospital, where Susan died on January 17. Her loved ones surrounded her.
Thomas Penman, Susan’s ex-husband, said she lacked life insurance, and her pension was very recent. Consequently, the family couldn’t afford funeral costs. Two sons applied for a DWP grant, seeking £3,100 from the Social Fund.
A funeral was planned for February 18, but the grant got rejected. Now, the funeral cannot happen, and Susan remains at the funeral home. She was a mother of six children.
Thomas uses a wheelchair and said Susan has been at the home for a month, which he thinks is terrible. People booked time off for the funeral, and he said this situation is awful.
The DWP rejected the grant claims because they said Darren Penman worked and assumed he was not estranged. They believed he could pay funeral costs; however, Darren said he worked only three days weekly, and his pay was too low to cover costs. He no longer works there.
Darren explained his brothers applied for the grant and receive universal credit; he now receives universal credit as well. The DWP still has not responded and assumed incorrectly about estrangement, as he rarely saw his mother. Darren earned about £140 weekly and had his own bills to pay; he feels the DWP stalls the process.
A DWP person expressed condolences and noted the Funeral Expenses Payment scheme helps vulnerable people with costs. People on income-related benefits may get a loan that can go toward funeral costs.
The news source asked the funeral home for comments.