€4.7m in state aid given to families for funerals

AN increasing number of bereaved families are seeking state assistance to help pay for funerals as a result of the recession.

The Department ofSocial and Family Affairs spent more than €4.7 million on funeral and burial costs under the exceptional needs payment (ENP) scheme last year, an increase of almost €1m on 2006.

To the end of August of this year, the spend by the department was almost €3.6m. However, this figure is expected to rise to more than €5m by the end of the year.