Families who suffer the loss of a child to receive £500 payment towards funeral costs
Families in Wales who have suffered the loss of a child will receive £500 towards funeral costs, the Welsh Government has announced.
From April 1, anyone who registers the loss of a child under the age of 18 will be offered the cash payment by the registrar.
Julie James, Minister for Housing and Local Government, said: "We want to offer families practical, compassionate support at an unimaginably difficult time.
"Local government will take the lead on delivering the additional support to families and we have worked closely in partnership with them to develop an approach that is easy to access and will provide the support when they need it.
"No parent wants to think about having to plan their child's funeral.
"We have worked with local authorities so this process is as seamless as possible for families."
The additional financial support for funerals is part of a wider package for families who have lost a child, which includes the development of national bereavement standards and a new £1 million grant to help address the gaps in bereavement service provision across Wales.
Rhian Mannings, who founded the charity 2 Wish Upon A Star, said: "Nobody should ever have to experience the death of their child.
"It goes against the pattern of life and leaves unimaginable pain and grief. That pain and devastation is often compounded by the financial burden of paying funeral costs which can amount to thousands of pounds.
"Planning the funeral is a difficult process. Parents making choices about their final goodbyes is another part of the grieving process but knowing there is funding available to help towards the costs of funerals would be appreciated by so many.
"When I lost my son and husband in 2012 we were fortunate to have extended family around us to help pay for the funeral and the undertaker was extremely generous as he waived Georgie's funeral costs."
Labour MP Carolyn Harris has long campaigned against burial and cremation charges for families who have lost children.
Ms Harris lost her eight-year-old son Martin in 1989 and needed a loan to bury him.
"The Welsh Labour Government was the first to support my campaign by scrapping fees for child burials or cremations, helping to ease the financial worries faced by parents who have just lost a child," she said.
"Providing a £500 payment to all families who suffer the loss of a child, is an act of unbridled compassion for which Wales is known around the world."
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