Help paying for a funeral

Losing someone you love is hard. If you don’t have enough money to pay for their funeral, Income Assistance may be able to help, even if you are not an Income Assistance client.

Who can apply

You can apply if you are:

• their spouse or partner
• a parent (if your child has passed away)
• the executor of their estate or another family member

You’ll need to share some basic information and documents to see if you qualify.

How to apply

To apply, call 1-877-424-1177. Tell the person you speak to that you want to apply for financial assistance for a funeral. Have these items ready if you can:

• bank statements for the person who passed away
• Social Insurance Number (SIN) for the person who passed away
• any other information that can help the caseworker understand your situation
• proof that you have applied for the CPP (Canada Pension Plan) Death Benefit (note that the department can also do this on your behalf)

Who qualifies

Eligibility is based on the income and assets of the person who passed away and, if applicable, their spouse or parent. Help is only available if there isn’t enough money in the estate (including income and assets) to cover the funeral costs.

What is covered

Income Assistance can help with funeral costs up to a maximum total of $3,800 + taxes.

• you’ll need to submit detailed invoices from the funeral provider
• other people or organizations can still pay part of the cost directly to the funeral home
• IA can’t reimburse costs that were paid before you applied
• IA will apply for the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) Death Benefit unless you or the executor already has. That amount will be deducted from the total assistance