Apply for coverage of funeral expenses
The Social Services Office covers the necessary funeral expenses if the next of kin or the estate are unable to pay them.
Wo wohnen Sie?
Damit wir Apply for coverage of funeral expenses mit dem zuständigen Sozialamt in Ihrer Stadt anzeigen können.
Oder Großstadt wählen:
Sie werden zur geführten Suche weitergeleitet – mit Kontaktdaten, Termin und nächsten Schritten für Apply for coverage of funeral expenses.
Quick answer
- 1
Documents you need
Death certificate · Funeral Director's Estimate
- 2
Responsible authority
The authority of your main residence
- 3
How to do it
Apply directly online
- 4
Costs
Kostenlos – keine Gebühr für den Antrag
How to proceed
- 1
Submit the request before placing the order
Submit this to the social services office, preferably before signing the funeral contract.
- 2
Submit a cost estimate
From the funeral home: limited to a "simple, customary" funeral.
- 3
Approval and Payment
Directly to the funeral home or for reimbursement.
Responsible authority
The authority of your main place of residence is responsible.Find authority →
The essentials before applying
Who is eligible?
Persons who are obligated to arrange a funeral (e.g., next of kin) and for whom the costs are not reasonable.
Income limit
Income and asset test in accordance with SGB XII; financial need is required.
Processing time
Nationwide: approx. approx. 3 weeks
Success rate
approx. 60.0 % (estimate)
Most common mistakes
- •Application submitted only after payment has been made or the funeral director has been hired
- •No quotes were obtained
Common reasons for rejection
- •The obligated person has sufficient income/assets
- •The costs exceed the scope of a standard local funeral
Alternatives
- Check related services in the application assistant
- Use social counselling before applying
If rejected
File a written objection within 30 days – with reasons why the decision is wrong and any missing evidence.
Related services
Questions & Answers
How much does it cost to apply for coverage of funeral expenses?▼
Free—no application fee.
How long does it take to apply for coverage of funeral expenses?▼
Typically about 21 business days—depending on the agency and its workload.
Freshness & source
- Maintenance
- Continuously reviewed & updated
- Source
- Bundesportal (verwaltung.bund.de)
- Data quality
- 100 %