Help with funeral costs in Australia, including what Services Australia may cover

Worrying about how to pay for a funeral, on top of everything else, is common, and asking about financial help is a sensible step, not something to feel awkward about. Support in Australia comes from a few different places, and it is worth understanding how they differ, since no single scheme covers every situation.

Services Australia, through Centrelink, provides bereavement payments in some circumstances, though these are generally aimed at helping a surviving partner adjust to a change in income, rather than directly covering funeral costs. For example, if your partner has died and you were both receiving an eligible income support payment or pension, you may be entitled to a lump sum bereavement payment, generally calculated over a set period following the death, to help bridge the change from a couple rate to a single rate. Eligibility, the type of payment, and the amount all depend on your specific circumstances, your relationship to the person who died, and when you notify Centrelink, so it is best confirmed directly with Services Australia rather than assumed from a general description like this one.

Separate from these federal bereavement payments, some states and territories run their own funeral assistance programs aimed more directly at the cost of a funeral itself, generally for people on a low income or facing genuine financial hardship. South Australia, for instance, runs Funeral AssistanceSA, which can help cover the cost of a funeral, typically a cremation, for an eligible South Australian family member or friend. These programs vary considerably from state to state in what they cover, who qualifies, and how to apply, so it is worth checking directly with your own state or territory government rather than assuming a scheme in one state applies nationally.

Other, more specific sources of support exist too. The Department of Veterans' Affairs can assist with funeral costs for eligible veterans and, in some cases, their families. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families may be able to access funeral assistance through local Aboriginal community organisations, which vary by region. It is also worth checking whether the person who died had a death-in-service benefit through their employer, union or superannuation fund, or any funeral cover attached to an existing insurance policy, since these are easy to overlook at a difficult time.

If none of these fully cover the cost, it is worth speaking openly with a funeral director about your situation from the very start, rather than after a quote has already been put together. Most are used to these conversations, and a basic or no-service cremation, which our separate article on how funeral costs are made up covers in more detail, is a genuinely legitimate option, not a lesser one, if keeping costs down matters to your family.

This article outlines the general shape of support available in Australia and is not a guarantee of eligibility for any specific payment or program. Services Australia and Moneysmart are the right places to confirm current rules, amounts and how to apply for your own circumstances.

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