Financial help if someone dies

If a loved one has died, you might be able to get help with the cost of the funeral, burial or cremation. In some circumstances, you might be entitled to help with living expenses or childcare.

Help with funeral and burial costs

You might be able to get money to help with the cost of a funeral if you’re:

  • the partner, child, parent or guardian of the person who died, or
  • arranging the funeral of someone with no close family.

Funeral grant

ACC can also help with the cost of the burial or cremation of someone who’s died after an accident.

Funeral grant — death caused by accident

Help with living expenses

If the death of a loved one makes it hard for you to meet your living costs, Work and Income might be able to help.

Check what you might get

If the person died in an accident

If you're a partner or dependent of someone who died following an accident, you may be entitled to a one-off, tax-free payment.

Survivor's grant 

If someone’s been financially supporting you and has died from an accident, you may be able to get weekly compensation. How much you get depends on how much the person who died earned.

Weekly compensation after accidental death 

If a parent of a child aged under 14 dies because of injury caused by an accident, you may be able to get help with childcare payments for up to 5 years.

Childcare payments after accidental death 

If the person was a war veteran

If your partner has died from disabilities caused by a war or other emergency they served in, you may be entitled to financial help.

Surviving Spouse or Partner Pension 

Dependent children of veterans who've died may be able to get the children's pensions or War Orphan's Pension.

Service-related allowances and grants 

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