Abolition of €850 bereavement grant ‘a cynical move’

The abolition of the €850 bereavement grant will cause many families additional stress during a difficult time, according to one of the country’s largest funeral directors.

The Dublin-based undertakers Massey Brothers, has expressed dismay at the Government’s decision to scrap the grant which will achieve exchequer savings of €17m in 2014.

The grant is a once-off payment worth €850 to the relative of a deceased person who pays the funeral bills. Eligibility is not related to a person’s ability to pay for a funeral but is based on PRSI contributions.