Current status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 11 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what financial support is available for bereaved parents who do not qualify for any other benefits or welfare payments.
The Scottish Government is committed to supporting bereaved parents and tackling funeral poverty.
We have removed child burial and cremation fees for children under 18 years old and for stillborn babies, financially supporting bereaved parents.
Parents whose baby sadly dies after it was born, or is stillborn, may be eligible for Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment. If the parent is under 18 or a dependent aged 18 or 19, they do not need to receive any benefits to be eligible.
Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay and Leave is reserved to the UK Government.