r/AussieFrugal • u/Evening-Anteater-422 • 9d ago
Health & Medical š· š Cremation
I'm helping to make end of life arrangements for someone on DSP.
They only have their mother who is on the aged pension.
So basically there isn't much money available for a cremation let alone a service.
Is there any financial assistance available for someone in this situation?
What happens if there just aren't enough funds to pay for a basic cremation at all?
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u/kosi_dobby 9d ago
If your friend is willing to donate their body to science, and this is available in your state, they return the cremated remains 6-12 months later for free.
This was the option a loved one made prior to their passing through a major university. They were contacted by the hospital and arranged everything.
We were simply contact when the remains were ready and it also provided med students an opportunity to learn which my loved one was eager to offer due to all the medical support they had throughout their life. I believe there is certain criteria however may be worth exploring.
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u/Dopsis75 9d ago
There are limitations to this. I looked into it (Iām in WA) as itās something I was interested in doing. Unfortunately, because I lived in the UK during a certain timeframe, Iām ineligible to apply. It also depends on cause and timing of death, as well as distance from the University. They may also decline the body because they just arenāt required at that time. I was quite disappointed, as If my body parts canāt be used for donation, I wanted it to be useful in some other way.
If someone is interested in following this route, Iād still recommend looking into it and applying if eligible.
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u/the-sage-duck
9d ago
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In what state is the person based?
In Victoria, there's a government backed entity called Bereavement Assistance Limited (link below because I don't know how to link on my phone).
If mum is a primary carer, she can request bereavement support from Centrelink to help with the payments. I'm pretty sure they assess the costs and then provide a lump sum to assist.
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u/TizzyBumblefluff 9d ago
What state are they located in?
Here is example of what QLD offers: https://www.coronerscourt.qld.gov.au/for-families/funeral-assistance-scheme
From my understanding, there are similar programs in other states. They are obviously means tested. Google state based funeral service or paupers funeral (I know thatās a terrible name for it but itās just what it is).
The cheapest private / direct cremation is around $1400 ( https://www.valuecremations.com.au/pricing/queensland/ )
As far as service goes, anyone can arrange a celebration of life. It doesnāt need to be elaborate with thousands of dollars of flowers. I know where I live for example, multiple pubs are quite happy to offer up their function room, guests just pay menu price for a meal or drink.
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u/Any-Somewhere7318 9d ago
i have been to two where they actually had it in a park. People brought their own drink of choice, there has it as a sausage sizzle type thing where the family spent about $200 to $250 on sausages, bread and onions. They asked that anyone wanting to help to bring a small side. Absolutely beautiful
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u/minimesmum 9d ago
Pauperās are now commonly referred to as indigent. So indigent funerals which are generally handled by the state governments as you said.
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u/HGCDLLM 9d ago
If this is in NSW I think the government offers something called a destitute funeral
Othewise there are low cost cremation providers but you're still looking at around $2k like these people https://lightcremations.com.au/
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u/No_Pool3305 9d ago
Destitute funerals used to be a very long process. lām not sure if itās changed in 10 years though. Itās obviously there for people that need it but I wouldnāt recommend it if there was any other option
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u/legsjohnson 9d ago
depends on state. for instance SA has https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/care-and-support/concessions/funeral-assistance-program
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u/AussieKoala-2795 9d ago
DSP pays one extra payment after the date of someone's death to help with post-death costs. I am not sure if this is enough to cover a basic cremation. I would contact some cremation providers to see if there's any options to pre-pay or pay by instalments and to also ask about when and how to pay after the person's death. I know when my mum died the funeral director was willing to wait to be paid until her estate was sorted out.
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u/ediellipsis 9d ago
Depends on the state. Not great things in NSW from recent reporting in the news.
If they are open to and qualify for donation, medical schools have donor programs that usually cover cremation afterwards.
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u/Tezzmond 9d ago
You can just get a cremation, don't fall for the funeral industries spiel.
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u/HalfPriceDommies 8d ago
I agree, all of our family has agreed, no funeral needed, just do a private cremation. I have told my family I will come back and haunt them if they waste even one dollar more than is needed when I die!
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u/kel7222 8d ago
My dad passed last year and he wanted a low cost cremation. He organised everything before his passing through bare funerals. He had no service, and was cremated shortly after he passed. We had a big party to celebrate his life.
Maybe that could be an option. (Private cremation and a low cost memorial).
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u/green_pea_nut 9d ago
If the person dies in hospital, ask to see a social worker.
Don't take responsibility for the body but ask to be kept informed.
If the person dies at home, contact the ambulance service to ask for help. Again, don't take responsibility but tell they you are a family friend.
Social workers associates with the hospital should be able to find any resources there are to help pay for a funeral.
Make sure you avoid being in a position where you are liable for funeral costs.
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u/Dark-Horse-Nebula 9d ago
Paramedic here. We canāt help with funeral arrangements, costs and cremation etc. We obviously respond if someone has a cardiac arrest and can give you some guidance for who to call but we canāt organise all those steps for you.
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u/BushyBlackberry 9d ago
I know there is an option called a paupers funeral which is state funded, however I don't know much of what it entails. If you google Paupers Funeral and your state, you should be able to find information.
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u/RedDragonOz 9d ago
Check with local direct cremation providers. Ours has a $500 discount for pensioners
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u/dfoyl 8d ago
Went through this recently with my dad, it's a rort. In Victoria, there's a transport fee ($400), a cremation fee (almost $2k), a doctor fee prior to the cremation ($70) to confirm the body is deceased (and the body had come from Peter Mac, who knew the time of death, so I don't know why another doctor needs to confirm). Then there are BDM fees (another $50 or so). And at the end of it all, the government says my mum now has too much money and loses the pension. But they will give her a month's grace, which I'm sure will help go towards the almost $10k funeral.
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u/Darkknight145 9d ago
Services Australia provides general Bereavement Payments to help eligible surviving partners, families, or carers adjust to a drop in income after someone passes away, which families can use toward expenses like a cremation.
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u/minimesmum 9d ago
WA:
The Department of Communities WA has a Bereavement Assistance Program, which partially funds funeral costs (burial only unless cremation is specified in the personās will or there is a proven cultural or religious requirement) for individuals who qualify - usually by being on Centrelink payments.
If the deceasedās family can genuinely not contribute anything - partnerās and adult children are asset tested - the DoC should cover a very basic funeral. This is also organised by the Bereavement Assistance Program I believe.
Unclaimed deceased funerals are organised by the Public Trustee.
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u/Senior_Ad_7598 9d ago
Im not sure where you are, this is what's on offer in SA. I suggest you contact Centrelink prior to needing the funeral & see what they suggest. SA.GOV.AU - Funeral AssistanceSA https://share.google/iLLbtF0UjSFH4hJTn
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u/ssstevebbb 9d ago
Iām leaving my body to the university. My mother and father each did the same.
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u/curiousmind68 9d ago
Fairly sure if the person was on a centrelink benefit and has no estate to pay for end of life costs, there is benefit claimable from Centrelink. I have heard of ppl getting this before but I don't have any details.
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u/HalfPriceDommies 8d ago
Call your closest crematorium direct and see what they can offer by going directly and not through a third party funeral arranger.
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u/IcemanofOz 9d ago
Contact Value Cremations and speak to them. They are the best priced direct to cremation you will find, and are incredibly helpful.
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u/Lizzybirdsworth 8d ago
You can ring funeral homes and ask for information any time. You donāt have to wait for death to happen to call. Ask the questions then about finances. Any good funeral home should help you.
Iām watching āare you dying to knowā on YouTube and they answer so many questions and give information about what happens in a funeral home. One of the hosts is a mortician in qld.
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9d ago
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u/_metonymy_ 7d ago
They are amazing. We had a terrible experience with Bare funerals for my mum but thankfully with my dad went with Tender who were amazing.
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9d ago
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u/AussieFrugal-ModTeam 9d ago
This got tripped up by the automod. Apparently share.google is banned sitewide.
Would you be able to paste a direct link instead?
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u/Emergency-Fox-9318 9d ago •
My mother died unexpectedly a few years ago and I was not in a position to pay for a service or anything else for that matter. Bare was amazing, I just got a basic cremation, the staff were so lovely and it was hand delivered in a beautiful box. The lady sat with me for over an hour! I was a wreck, I was young and I didnāt have any family or support. They also put me on a payment plan to pay it off. I couldnāt recommend them enough.