Many Kiwi families are struggling to pay for funerals as the government grant doesn't come close to covering all of the costs, says Rotorua funeral director Richard Fullard.
Photo: Suhyeon Choi for Unsplash
Fullard, who's also vice president of the Funeral Directors Association, tells Jesse Mulligan the funeral grant has not been adjusted for 20 years.
Richard Fullard Photo: Osborne's Funeral Directors
In New Zealand, the cost of a simple cremation is about $6,000 and burial is about $8,000, Fullard says.
The government's funeral grant, which is means-tested, is currently around $2,280 and doesn't cover the cost of a death certificate.
The Funeral Directors Association would love to see the grant raised to be in line with the ACC funeral grant, which is around $6,500.
This amount is required by families conducting religious funerals, Fullard says.
"Some families have to make a heartbreaking choice of whether to have a funeral or not. And if you're a family that wants to have a burial for religious reasons $2,200 is nowhere close to covering an $8,000 burial.'
Inflation affects every aspect of a funeral, including wood for caskets, flowers and catering, and the government grant hasn't kept up with the rising costs, Fullard says.
A funeral grant of around $6,000 would enable vulnerable families to make choices about a funeral for their loved one, he says, rather than being forced to go down the cheapest path.
"If you can't even afford the hole at the local cemetery it's about time we took a look at this 20-year old grant that needs adjusting.
"It's a stressful time for families and [the government funeral grant] is a complicated document to fill out, as well. We'd love to see the whole system change and that would be a better experience for these families trying to create a meaningful farewell."
