Proof

A Funeral Grant cannot be assessed until evidence of the following has been received:

• proof of death, such as a death certificate or a newspaper notice. If the person applying for the Funeral Grant is unable to provide proof of death, a death verification form should be sent to Births, Deaths and Marriages.
• proof of reasonable funeral expenses

MSD may also require the applicant to provide evidence of:

• the deceased person's assessable estate
• the income and assets of a surviving partner or parents of a deceased child
• whether the funeral is funded elsewhere
• any involvement in a trust by the deceased person, a surviving partner, or the parents of a deceased child

Note if an applicant declares that a deceased child has no estate, this should be accepted unless there is reason to doubt the information provided.

Stillbirths require a birth registration, but not a death registration. This means a death certificate will not be available for a stillborn child.

The applicant will need to provide information to confirm the child was stillborn. This could be:

• proof of birth registration (as a stillbirth)
• a medical certificate confirming the baby was stillborn at birth
• a hospital discharge summary
• a letter from the midwife or obstetrician confirming the child was stillborn