The introduction of this fund for Northern Ireland on 1 June 2022 was a commitment set out in the New Decade, New Approach deal, published in January 2020. The Department committed to undertaking a review of the Child Funeral Fund once the scheme had been operational for 6 months.
The review report covers the period from 1 June 2022 to 31 March 2023 and sets out statistics about the number claims and the cost of the scheme, as well as recommendations. Overall, the Department has concluded that the fund is working as intended with the original policy and that no major changes are required.
The Department will continue to closely monitor the Child Funeral Fund going forward. If you have any queries about the scheme or the review, please contact SSPLD@communities-ni.gov.uk
Child Funeral Fund Review 2023