Rebecca Evans, Minister for Finance and Local Government
The unbearable loss of a child is devastating for a family, and providing practical support for those families continues to be important to Welsh Ministers.
In 2017, the Welsh Government, the Welsh Local Government Association and One Voice Wales agreed to end burial and cremation fees for children and young people under 18 years old.
A review in 2019 found that this arrangement had been a positive step in achieving better consistency in relation to the charges for child burial and cremation across Wales. However, many families were still burdened with the stress and worry about paying for other funeral costs.
Since April 2021, the Welsh Government has provided additional financial support to help towards these costs, with £500 made available to any family in Wales that has lost a child. This is a universal offer regardless of the family’s income, although there is no obligation to accept the payment should the family not want it.
Over 200 families received this support during 2021-22, and the feedback from families has been very positive. The money has been used in a number of ways, such as towards memorials and headstones as well as supporting funeral costs.
I would like to offer my thanks to all partners who help provide compassionate and pragmatic services to those affected by such difficult loss.
I will be reviewing the approach in two years to assess how the scheme is working and ensure we continue to reflect on how we can best support families.